


Middle Fingers In The Air

by pand_em_onium, sull89



Category: One Piece
Genre: Canon Divergence, Child Abuse, Childhood Trauma, Law Has A Pain Kink, M/M, No Non-Con Between Main Pairing, Slavery, Slow Burn, idiot boys, off-screen pedophilia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-23
Updated: 2019-08-26
Packaged: 2019-08-28 08:27:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 36
Words: 335,820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16719867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pand_em_onium/pseuds/pand_em_onium, https://archiveofourown.org/users/sull89/pseuds/sull89
Summary: Law was certain he'd had Eustass Kid pegged. He was ruthless, fearless, amoral – just a beast trying to devour as much as he could stomach before his end caught up with him, no finesse or thought other than his next meal.For once, Law was glad to be wrong.





	1. Research

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapters marked with an * have bonus material!

“Captain? Are you awake?”

Bepo's soft voice broke through his thoughts, and Law simply opened one eye to indicate to his navigator he'd been heard. 

“There was a delivery for you,” the mink went on to explain, holding out a neatly wrapped parcel. It was thin, enclosed in a layer of waxed fabric to keep the contents safe from water. Rough twine kept the whole thing tied shut. 

Law uncrossed his arms, both eyes open now as he reached for it, tucking it into a pocket in his jacket before he spoke. “How are the supplies?”

“Ikkaku and Shachi are almost finished loading everything. The log pose should be finished in a few hours, too,” Bepo explained, tilting his head as he glanced at Law's chest, where the item he'd delivered rested in it's hidden pocket. “What is that, anyway?”

There was a pause as Law considered the question. It wasn't important, really, just a curiosity and he wasn't particularly in the mood to explain. “Captain's business. Let me know when we're ready to leave.” His fingers closed around Kikoku's hilt, the sheath finding its usual place across his shoulders as Law turned and retreated to his own quarters without another word. 

Behind him, Bepo nodded seriously, turning to monitor the rest of the crew as their supplies were loaded below deck.

In his own room, Law leaned his sword against the wall next to the door after shutting it, reaching into his jacket to retrieve the wrapped parcel. Each time they reached a new island, Law spent time tracking down the World Economic Journal, setting aside time to keep caught up on the events of the world. It wasn't a surprise to him that as they neared the Sabaody Archipelago, there were more and more articles centered on what the journalists had dubbed the “Eleven Supernovas.”

It was a bit over the top, but Law was amused anyway. Sure, call him a supernova; his plan was to keep getting larger until he consumed everything in his path and burned up along with it in the first place. It suited him just fine.

In the meantime, though, he'd been keeping an eye on the other ten he'd been lumped in with. He wasn't at all surprised there were others with higher bounties than him. He and his crew had kept more or less to themselves, not going out of their way to gain any sort of attention or recognition. Not that the rest of the world could confirm, anyway. 

Still, to attain such a high bounty with relatively minimal effort was something he was sort of proud of. At the very least, it was sure to catch the attention of certain underworld leaders he had his eye on. 

However, in spite of how often he and the other Supernovas were front page news, there was surprisingly little of their pasts that was ever discussed. Law didn't consider himself particularly philosophical, but there was something to knowing one's past to understand where they were headed. His own motives would likely be easy enough to discern to anyone who knew enough about his past. And who knew? It might be important for blackmail purposes if nothing else.

Law didn't bother locking his door, and instead sank down into the chair at the desk. He propped his feet up on the corner of the wooden desktop before reaching into his jacket to remove the fabric-wrapped parcel. It had been easy enough to track down the island each of his rivals originated from; that much had already been reported. From there, he simply wrote to the local newspapers posing as a budding journalist looking for more information on the infamous rising stars of the pirate world. This was the fruit of that endeavor. 

Each collection of articles was separated by an index card bearing the name and affiliation of each Supernova. Some stacks were markedly thicker than others and they were sorted from lowest to highest bounty. He saw his own name on one of the cards – it'd be interesting, at least, to see what had been written about him from a time before he paid attention to the newspapers. 

**_Urouge “The Mad Monk” - Fallen Monk Pirates – 108,000,000 Berries_ **

There was little that he was unable to uncover about Urouge other than what he'd already known. The Mad Monk hailed from a sky island – interesting to have that confirmed, considering the dubious plausibility of a sky island's existence in the first place. This particular rival captain must have the same idea as Law, considering the scarcity of information available. 

A wild card, then. 

**_Roronoa Zoro “The Pirate Hunter” - Straw Hat Pirates – 120,000,000 Berries_ **

Roronoa Zoro had plenty of articles about him. He had been a famous pirate hunter in the East Blue, and even Law had heard his name before the WEJ had named him one of the Eleven Supernovas. Law glanced at his own sword and let himself smile in amusement; most others he came across who considered themselves swordsman and tried to challenge him to a duel and were disappointed. Kikoku was a tool, more like a scalpel than a true sword, at least in his hands. He never lived up to their expectations as a swordsman himself, but that was their own fault for assuming they wielded their weapons similarly.

Law wondered if Roronoa would be similarly disappointed or if he'd even care to challenge him in the first place. 

The oldest article in that particular batch came from a place called Shimotsuki Village. A grainy black and white photograph captured a group centered around a grave; judging by the size of the disturbed earth, Law knew it to be a child's grave without needing to read the article. A boy, no older than ten, was at the forefront, similar unkempt hair giving his identity away. A tragic loss spurred him into action, then – Law's eyes narrowed in recognition. 

**_Capone “Gang” Bege – Fire Tank Pirates – 138,000,000 Berries_ **

Capone Bege's history was similarly storied; judging by the fact that he'd previously been part of one of the five families that ruled West Blue, Law could only assume he'd gotten greedy or bored and wanted more power than he already had. Amazing how powerful men's appetites could never be sated. Law had seen enough of that already; it made for a boring story.

**_Jewelry Bonney “Big Eater” - Bonney Pirates – 140,000,000 Berries_ **

The articles that had been dug up on Jewelry Bonney were unremarkable. One of the younger children out of a brood of 12, she'd left her home in the South Blue at some point before turning up as a pirate. There was little else that had been dug up on her prior to becoming a captain, which led Law to believe she'd been bored and lacked attention, being one of such a large number of children. A brief image of starving, hollow eyed children flashed in his memory, and Law shook his head; she was an unfortunate girl with a modicum of skill and luck who was looking to escape the poverty of her youth. Most likely. Another boring story. 

**_“Massacre Soldier” Killer – Kid Pirates – 162,000,000 Berries_ **

Outside of the articles that named him the right hand of the Kid Pirates and detailed the destruction he'd caused since entering the Grand Line, there was nothing to be found on the eponymous Killer. Law was aware it wasn't his real name, so he'd expected little. Still, there had been some hope someone had been able to uncover more than what he'd already read. He clearly fit in with his crew's reputation, though, eyeing the hooked blades clenched in both fists that featured prominently in the photo that dominated the first article of the three he'd been sent. 

Another wild card, then.

**_Scratchman Apoo “Roar of the Sea” - On Air Pirates – 198,000,000 Berries_ **

Law wasn't sure what to make of the Long Arm Tribe captain. He looked... foolish, his grinning photo greeting him with a mouth full of piano keys on the first page behind the index card. It was difficult to take a face like that seriously, but the other captain had a bounty very near his own so Law knew not to take him lightly. Apoo hailed from the Grand Line, so he'd had a head start on the rest of them who had to claw their way in. 

There were about as many articles detailing Apoo's story as there were Urouge, which was to say there were almost none other than the two that described the events that gave him a bounty in the first place. Law had just entered the Grand Line when Apoo made his bounty, so they were articles he'd read and discarded nearly a year ago. 

**_Trafalgar Law “Surgeon of Death” - Heart Pirates – 200,000,000 Berries_ **

His own set of articles were the most uninteresting of the bunch. Of course there was nothing prior to his becoming a pirate captain. What really happened to Flevance had never made news in the first place, and he hadn't been important enough to be a known part of the DonQuixote Family. There was an article about the Sea King he'd dropped on the Marine outpost of an island in the North Blue with a high population of starving people in spite of the booming fishing trade. He remembered the smug Governor, sneering at the line of beggars in the street begging for food, for work, for money. Back then, using such a large Room to move such a huge beast had him laid up for nearly a month, but seeing the chaos as the starving people swarmed the outpost with plates and butchers knives had been worth it. 

Law set aside that article in one of the drawers of his desk for posterity.

**_“Red Flag” X Drake – Drake Pirates – 222,000,000 Berries_ **

Two words caught his attention immediately after he set aside the index card. Minion Island. Law's body jolted slightly as his feet fell to the floor, the two heavy thuds ringing hollow in his ears. At first he wondered if the article had been shuffled from his section to Drake's in error, but as he leaned forward to take in the first few lines, it became clear that wasn't the case. 

**Young Boy Found On Minion Island Following Assault by DonQuixote Family**

_Connie Bray_

_Minion Island was attacked a fortnight ago by the up and coming DonQuixote Pirate crew, helmed by Captain DonQuixote Doflamingo. Previous reporting from this paper has documented the attack and aftermath, but new information has come from the nearest Marine outpost since then. What was previously reported as an all out slaughter has actually shown a bright spot - one lone survivor, a young boy named Diez Drake. Having been taken into protective custody the night of the slaughter, Diez's survival wasn't announced until the Marines could be fully assured of his continued safety._

Law could hear his heart pounding in his ears, vision tunneling until it was black on the edges. A phantom ache in his hands reverberated up his arms – the feeling of pounding against unmoving wood and metal, a feeling in his throat like he'd swallowed glass from all the screaming, six sharp thunderclaps followed by silence, silence, silence...

By the time Law remembered to breathe, he was hunched forward in the chair, the carefully sorted articles spread out like fallen snow under his desk. Law shivered in spite of the humid air, feeling like a black hole had just opened in the center of his chest. He hadn't had such a visceral reminder of that day outside of his nightmares in a long time. 

Vaguely, he could remember Baby5's soft voice relaying to Doflamingo that she and Buffalo had heard reports of the Marines taking a boy into custody mere moments after Corazon's explanation that Law had escaped to their aid. At the time, he had more pressing matters keeping his attention, but he was sure he heard her now that he had a reason to think about it. 

What was the likelihood that the two boys who escaped that day would both be captaining their own pirate crews in the Grand Line at the same time? Law didn't believe in providence, but he didn't believe in coincidences either. He made it a point to seek Drake out if their paths ever crossed, curious what the other man remembered about that day. 

After catching his breath enough that his chest no longer ached from lack of air, Law dug his heels in and shoved the chair back, giving himself enough room to kneel and gather the index cards and articles that needed to be resorted. He was in no mood to continue at the moment, wondering if a soak in some sea water would weaken him enough to let him drift to a hopefully dreamless sleep like it usually did. 

His research on the other Supernovas lay in a haphazard mess of a pile on his usually empty desk and Law sighed as he looked at it. It seemed like a lot of work for nothing all of a sudden and he was tempted to Shambles the whole pile of it into the ocean until an intriguing headline caught his eye.

**Inexplicable Murder Shocks Centaurea.**

Only Capone Bege had any articles relating to murder before coming to the Grand Line, but such was to be expected from a former Mafia Don. Pushing the other papers away, Law plucked what looked to be an older article from The South Blue Herald from beneath them, smoothing the wrinkles out before scanning its contents. 

_...husband and wife found dead in their home, alongside their 10 year old daughter..._ Law almost stopped there, the scent of charred human flesh that never quite left his memory filling the room just long enough for him to feel sick. It was too much of a parallel to his own dead family on the heels of the Minion Island article. Had he not been so pissed off at himself for having such a physical reaction to words on paper, Law would have torn the damn thing to shreds. 

As though to prove a point to himself, that his constitution was stronger than the ghosts in the room, he continued reading. The parallels ended there, thankfully. Eustass had two other sisters, one older and one younger, that were apparently still alive. At least they weren't both the only surviving members of their families; that'd be too much like fate. 

The biggest difference between them was the cause of death. For Law, it had been genocide. For Kid, however, it was some good old fashioned familicide. Though he had to wonder... 

_Eustass Herbert was discovered stabbed to death in the family kitchen by his oldest child, Eustass Lyssa, 16. Preliminary autopsy reports show a minimum of 28 individual wounds had been inflicted upon the victim, primarily to the face, torso, and groin. Further into the home Eustass Beatrice was located in the marital bedroom by local police, deceased in the same manner as her husband. Preliminary autopsy reports show 42 stab wounds, primarily across her face, chest, and hands. In addition, her eyes had been gouged out, likely with the same weapon used to kill her. They were found lying by her right hand._

Collectively, he'd stabbed his parents 70 times. Both Law's eyebrows raised as he read on, intrigued – he couldn't think of a single reason to stab a person so many times unless there was serious hatred there. Unless he was seriously unhinged – which wasn't unfounded considering the rumors already circulating – all signs pointed to some sort of abuse. His mother's missing eyes were pretty strong evidence in that regard, too. If he was truly unhinged, he wouldn't have left them behind – Law wouldn't have, anyway. 

No, Kid had been leaving a message. The placement of the stab wounds were too precise to be random. 

_...Finally, the most tragic victim of all was located in her bedroom. Eustass Katrina suffered a single cut across her throat..._

Strange. Had he gotten tired after stabbing his parents so many times? Law scanned the article again before deciding no, it couldn't have been that. The attack on his parents was meant to hurt or to be symbolic. Or both. This was quick, clean – almost merciful. 

Until he'd gotten his hands on this article, Law was certain he'd had Eustass Kid pegged. He was ruthless, fearless, amoral – just a beast trying to devour as much as he could stomach before his end caught up with him, no finesse or thought other than his next meal. 

For once, Law was glad to be wrong. There was more to Eustass Kid after all. He'd never met the redhead, and he wasn't sure if he was ever going to. But if he ever did...

His intrigue wasn't enough to shake the feeling of unease that had settled over him like a cloak and Law left the article resting neatly in the center of his desk as he turned to leave - there were more details he planned to muse over when his head was clearer. 


	2. Hints

Striding casually through the streets of Grove 17, Kid tucked one hand into the pocket of his pants as he took in the sights and sounds around him. This place was fucking beautiful, if he said so himself. Within sneezing distance of a Marine outpost and yet outlaws and con men of all stripes wandered the area without a care in the damn world, engaging in all sorts of business that would land them in prison without a second thought. It sent that much more energy rippling through him, leaving him itching to find a coating mechanic and get his crew into the New World. 

Yet, while he could be reckless, Kid certainly wasn’t careless and he wasn’t about to hire the first schmuck that said he could do the job. Coating was an art and Kid was determined to find the right artist. At least there was all sorts of booze, gambling, and fighting to keep him entertained here as he searched. Turning the corner onto a side street lined with bars and eateries, Kid cast an appraising glance over the people lining the way to discern if any of them could pose an actual threat. 

About to write them all off with a dry chuckle - it’s almost impressive, how big and important some idiots think they are - Kid shifted to enter the dingy doorway of a rundown looking dive for his usual afternoon whiskey when his eyes caught on a peculiar spotted hat almost too far down the street to make out. Recognition hit him like a lightning bolt and he didn't even try to stop the manic grin that took over his lips, “Today just got way more interesting.” 

Reorienting himself, Kid made his way toward the stupid spotty hat and the accompanying dark skinned human attached to it with something akin to hunger in his eyes. Another Supernova… what were the chances, meeting him here of all places? Coming up behind Trafalgar quietly, Kid crossed his arms one over the other and smirked, tone full of cocky confidence as he started to speak, “I know what people say about you...”

Law had only been on Sabaody for a few hours, the Polar Tang docked in Grove 42 as he slowly explored the archipelago. Scientifically speaking, it was an intriguing cluster of islands, especially the resin “bubbles” that sprouted from the ground around him. When he’d left his crew, Shachi and Penguin were taking bets on which of them could ride the bubbles the highest; he expected he’d have to reset a bone or two when he returned. 

He wasn’t oblivious to the open stares cast his way by those who recognized him, but he neither acknowledged them nor went out of his way to avoid detection. It didn’t escape his attention that they were close to a major Marine base, that the Admirals were within a few hours’ travel of the archipelago; the bit of risk involved with coming here and walking out in the open when he could be apprehended got his blood pumping. 

Thrilling as it was, though, Law still kept a sharp eye around him. He didn’t actually want to be caught, fun as this little game of cat and mouse could be. There was a lot more he wanted to see of this place before he and his crew made their way to Fishman Island. 

Early on, Law had learned that the best places to find information were often the most overlooked. With each Grove he passed, there were fewer and fewer occupants; there was little he was likely to learn from tourists anyway and the tight press of bodies around him in the more populated Groves had started to make him feel confined and uncomfortable. He felt much more at home with the thieves and kidnappers in the lawless area he was currently exploring. 

With a leisurely pace, Law passed a row of gambling dens and brothels, side-stepping the sultry painted gazes that followed him from door to door. He wasn’t feeling social enough to haggle with prostitutes for gossip, though he knew from experience they were a good source of information. Instead, he made his way down a side street where an unsurprisingly unpleasant odor greeted him; piss, stale booze and sour bread. Law ignored the aggressive posturing of the men guarding the doors of each establishment, not impressed with the slovenly collection of beer guts and missing teeth. None of these men would be a challenge…

As he passed the third bar, Law caught the reflection of a tall redhead approaching behind him and smirked at the familiar profile. He made no move to turn around or slow down, letting the other man come to him. This was a game of cat and mouse he was more than willing to play right now. 

They’d only made it a few more feet before Eustass spoke, and though Law slowed he still didn’t turn around to face him, waiting for him to finish his sentence. 

“They say the same about me,” Kid finished with devious little grin, speaking casually to the back of Trafalger Law’s hat. He was tempted to reach out and knock the thing right off the other Captain’s head - who in their right mind would think that was something to be seen wearing in public? But as this was a first meeting and Kid wasn’t entirely sure of the extent of Trafalgar's power he decided to play it polite. Or, at least as polite as he was generally capable, “Though I have a hard time believing you could be that much trouble.”

He couldn’t help but admit that Trafalgar’s easy confidence was intriguing - Kid was certain he’d seen him approach in some reflection or another, but he hadn’t been bothered enough to turn and face the rookie with the highest bounty of them all. Since Trafalgar was another Supernova, Kid knew that cockiness was drawn from actual skill, rather than hubris. He was curious to see just what skill the other man had mastered so far.

Law felt his smirk briefly spread into a wolfish grin. He cocked his head over his shoulder, sparing the taller Captain a glance before he shrugged and resumed walking. “‘They’ also like to exaggerate. I was under the impression you’d be more imposing.” He was aware of Eustass’ fiery temper, but Law was drawn to that sort of thing like a moth to a flame. He hadn’t faced a real challenge in a long time.

That earned Trafalgar a deep scowl, the frown tugging at Kid’s lips immediately as his brow furrowed in affront. With just the barest crackle of purple at his fingertips, one of the salt shakers from a nearby table comes flying through the air almost too fast to see. He's damn sure Trafalgar will feel it when it smacks him in the face though. 

But even still he tries to keep himself somewhat reigned in. Alerting the Marines that he's here and vulnerable as he looks to get his ship coated would get him lectured up one side and down the other by Killer. Not that Kid actually cares, he just doesn't want to hear it. He can already tell they've caught the attention of the people around them but that just makes him grin. Kid could damn well go for a good fight. 

If it hadn't been for the brief rattle of the salt shaker against the table and the fact that Law had expected some sort of retaliation, the makeshift projectile would have hit him in the temple. He ducked down in time to avoid the worst of it, the bottom catching the top of his ear before it knocked his hat off. 

Nonplussed, Law let his momentum carry him forward, retrieving his fallen hat and dusting it off before he finally turned to face Eustass fully. His clothes were just as garish in person as they had looked in the pictures, a mishmash of what looked to be some sort of animal skin made into a coat lined with metal spikes along the shoulders and what Law could only describe as giraffe-print pants. He looked a bit like a circus performer mixed with a porcupine, and the thought made his lips quirk up in amusement.

Kid clicked his tongue dismissively as he crossed his arms across his broad chest. He was half tempted to ask if Trafalgar was broadcasting some kind of message, with all the spots. An STD, maybe? He’d seen one on Heat before and it was enough to put him off physical contact for a week. But instead he just laughed, the sound loud and abrasive as it echoed through the narrow street, “Damn. I was hoping to see you take it straight to the eyes.”

“You’ll have to work on your aim,” Law challenged, settling his hat back in its proper place. His focus went past the garments Eustass had the audacity to call clothes and studied the other captain himself without bothering to be subtle about it. The redhead was clearly the stronger of the two, physically speaking; his bicep was easily as big around as Law’s thigh. Brute strength wasn’t what got him where he was, though - there were plenty of strong idiots who could barely manage to obtain any sort of bounty at all. 

Kid wasn’t oblivious to Trafalgar’s searching eyes; in all actuality, he welcomed them. He knew he was someone worth looking at, he’d caught the countless gazes of lust and desire women and men both had sent his way since he’d grown into his somewhat gangly limbs and filled out as an older teenager. Puffing his chest out slightly, the younger man smirked and snapped his fingers as though to catch Trafalgar’s attention, “Hungry?” 

Though he was cocky, Kid was also taking this opportunity to size up his rival. Tall and slender, with little in the way of muscle mass, it was obvious that whatever Trafalgar had going for him was either his devil fruit or his brain. But, neither of those were to be underestimated. He’d done that once, back before he made it to the Grand Line, and had been unable to comfortably sit down for a week - he wasn’t in for something like that again. 

A space had cleared around the two men, about eight feet in diameter. Nobody was actively stopping to watch, but eyes were on them all the same. Kid didn’t bother to tamp down on the sense of satisfaction that gave him - he enjoyed it when people showed him fear.

Tilting his head, Law pretended to consider Eustass’ question before he licked his lips, a smirk splitting his face. “You offering to let me slice you up a little?” His thumb flicked against the crossguard of Kikoku, revealing just an inch of the blade - a tease.

Both men had done a surprisingly good job at keeping the extent of their powers to themselves; Law could make an assumption about what Eustass was capable of based on what had just happened, but the redhead couldn’t know what his own skills were. He wondered if Eustass would take the bait and believe his skills lay in his sword. 

“Heh,” the sound came easy, low and amused. Kid merely smirked, twitching his fingers sharply enough that just for a moment, Trafalgar would feel the metal in his sword try to leap forward into Kid’s hands. It was an unsubtle warning that the blade did not scare Kid in the slightest. “I was more thinking it was you who wanted to be devoured,” the redhead commented, running a hand through his hair with a flourish, “the way you were looking at me.”

Law was prepared for something like that, though he hadn’t yet worked out if Eustass could manipulate any object with his power or if it was a specific material he had control over. He tilted the sheath back so the angle of his nodachi was tilted away from the redhead rather than toward him. It was more to show he wasn’t compliant rather than out of any real sense of worry.

“I’ve yet to find someone capable of devouring me. You’re welcome to try.” Law was aware he had what could be considered a morbid sense of… well, everything really. The people who were unsettled by him were briefly amusing in the way they shrank back, but were ultimately uninteresting. He got the sense that Eustass would not be one of those people.

The smirk that grew to cross Kid’s face at Trafalgar’s words was full of teeth and so wide it almost hurt. What an invitation… Kid was certain he could wreck that pretty face in an instant. “Can’t wait,” as he spoke Kid took two deliberate steps forward, crowding into Trafalgar’s personal space, “to do more than just try.” 

What he knew he needed to be cautious of was Trafalgar’s power. He wasn’t entirely sure of his capabilities and while Kid was comfortable charging into most situations without the whole story, messing with another Supernova suggested he take at least a modicum of care. That thought made him scoff softly to himself - Killer would be so proud to know he’d “gotten through my Captain’s thick skull” in a moment like this. … When he was back on his ship, he was going pin his second in command down and remind him who the boss really was.

Sparing a moment, Law tilted his head back to look Eustass in the face before he turned on his heel, unruffled by the fact that he was turning his back to a reportedly unstable Supernova. “Maybe not in the middle of the street,” he began, hiding a smirk as he held his hand out, palm down. “Why don’t we get a Room?” With the last word, he activated his power, a dull blue glow circling around them and the four nearest bars. 

The bar they had just passed had a patio with tall stools surrounding a round wooden table. He flicked his finger up, hovering one of the stools off the ground before pulling it forward, intending to send it crashing into Eustass’ back. Without bothering to stay and see if he was more successful with his projectile than the other Captain had been, Law murmured a single word and found himself in the back corner of the farthest bar, the blue of his Room disappearing with him.

Kid’s reaction to suddenly being encased in a glowing blue bubble was to immediately call a few handfuls of the nearest metal objects to him, setting them spinning slowly around his frame as something of a protective barrier. As luck would have it, it was the only thing that stopped him from taking the full brunt of Trafalgar’s wooden stool to his back - as it went, the seat crashed into his metal odds and ends with an oddly quiet, dense thunk before clattering down to the cobblestones at his feet. Yet, as he realized quite abruptly with a grimace and quiet curse, he did wind up taking the blunt end of one leg directly over a kidney. 

He probably could have dodged that too, he thought with a flash of hot anger, if the scrawny asshole in question hadn’t just managed to materially vanish in front of his face. “Nice trick,” he called out to the area at large, recalling his protective barrier and turning slowly within in, trying to see where Trafalgar had gotten off to, “but is that how you managed to get such a low bounty, playing cat and mouse?”

“I’ll have what he’s having,” Law drawled to the bartender, gesturing to the old man next to him who had choked on the amber liquid in his mug when Law had materialized next to him. He leaned on the bar, Kikoku anchored in the crook of his elbow as he watched the bartender appraise him with narrowed eyes before retrieving the drink. 

Eustass was self-assured and cocky, but it was in a way that caught Law’s attention. He didn’t let his higher bounty make him careless and he hadn’t looked down on Law’s challenge just because of the disparity between their reported strength. He didn’t mind being underestimated; there were very few people in the world who’s opinion of his abilities actually mattered to him. But, he could still appreciate being taken seriously. 

Kid made one full rotation of the street before scoffing slightly and shifting, dropping his protective barrier and moving to prop himself against one of the nearby drinking establishments. Even though he had a sneaking suspicion his target hadn’t gone far, Kid wasn’t about to chase after Trafalgar like he was some mangey half-starved little mouser. As he propped himself against the wall, Kid kicked one foot up against the brick and started studying the people he could see in the windows across the street. 

Judging by the blue glow from earlier, it seemed Trafalgar’s power had a range much like his own, though imminently more defined. That was good to know. He mused for a moment on whether or not Trafalgar could manipulate anything without the telltale blue glow and found himself hoping the answer was no. It was beyond useful, to have a visual cue that someone else’s power was in use. 

He couldn’t help but scoff at the scene around him - almost deserted. Cowards, the lot of them, and in what was supposed to be a lawless zone of all things. He and Trafalgar had barely had a staring contest, it wasn’t anything worth running away from. To be fair, the sun was also growing heavy in the sky, casting long shadows over the street, setting Kid’s hair afire from a distance. Not that you’d think a bunch of criminals would have a curfew, need to abide by mom’s rule to be home before sundown. 

The drink burned sharply as Law swallowed, surveying the motley assortment contained in the bar he’d chosen. He grinned at those still staring at him due to his unusual entrance, not at all threatened by the unwelcoming air. Tucking himself against the wall and the corner of the bar, Law sipped his drink slowly, having over-tipped the bartender to ensure he wouldn’t be bothered to leave even though he’d only had one drink. 

Eventually the regulars settled into their conversation which left Law to listen and observe as intended.There wasn’t much of import anyone within earshot was discussing, though he did pick up on an interesting bit of news; apparently he and Eustass weren’t the only Supernovas on the archipelago. 

After taking a few minutes to study what he could through the windows, Kid shrugged one shoulder nonchalantly and kicked off from the wall, his coat fluttering behind him in the soft breeze coming through the street. Like he said… he wasn’t interested in chasing after Trafalgar. But he couldn’t pretend that the other man hadn’t caught his interest, hadn’t sparked something inside him that insisted there was more he needed to find out. 

As he began to head back the way he’d came, Kid yawned and stretched his arms out behind him, grabbing his coat as it slid off his shoulder and deftly tugging it back into place with the ease of habit. He’d see Trafalgar again at some point, be it here on Sabaody or in the New World. He chuckled softly as he wondered what else he could throw at the cocky little bitch when that time came. 

Not keen on wasting time waiting around for someone to say something interesting, Law finished his drink and wound around the haphazard tables in the room, moving slowly in case there was anything interesting to pick up on the way out. There was a large table next to the door, spread out in front of the picture window at the front of the bar that caught his attention immediately. The group of men surrounding it were staring at something across the street and discussing amongst themselves. 

“Captain, I think-”

“Looks strong, that’s for sure-”

“Red hair should catch a good price-”

“Not a pretty face, but some people like that-”

Human traffickers, then. He supposed they didn’t need to be subtle in the lawless part of Sabaody, but this just seemed amateur. He paused on the far side of the table, slowly adjusting his clothes so he’d have a reason to stop as he listened to the conversation come to an end, which it did somewhat abruptly as the man closest to the door sprang up and gestured to all of them.

“He’s leaving. Now’s as good a chance as we’re going to get.”

All eight of them stood up and crowded out the door and Law would have laughed if he hadn’t wanted to see the outcome. At least they didn’t just bolt after the other Captain; instead they spilled out of the bar, some pretending to be drunk while others melted into the shadowy arms of nearby alleys, ostensibly to attempt to cut Eustass off further up the street. 

Law gave them a thirty second head start before he stepped out of the bar, Kikoku propped over one shoulder as he walked. Eustass’ red hair was still visible from here, and he seemed to be taking note of the businesses as he passed by, completely at ease. Either he knew he was being followed and didn’t care, or he was about to be surprised. Law had little doubt that Eustass could take care of such a rookie group, but still, something spurred him on. Maybe he just wanted to see some blood to make the trip out to this Grove worth it.

As Eustass turned a corner, Law called up a Room, using the layout of the buildings as a shield to ensure no one saw the soft blue glow of his power before using Shambles to materialize at the redhead’s side. He matched the taller man’s pace, casually following about three feet behind. They were back up by the gambling dens and brothels Law had passed earlier, plenty of alleys spilling into the main street for the kidnappers (heh) to surround them from. 

One of the things that Kid had loved about his power from the very beginning was that the metal sang to him, whenever he needed it to, with just a thought. He could count the number of people standing on a metal platform, feel footfalls over the nails in wooden flooring, take note of how many people were around him just from the baubles on their fingers and around their necks. It kept him safe more than once and always left him aware of the general number of people around him, especially when they were in a city or town. 

So yes, he was aware he was being followed. He just didn’t particularly care. Smashing a few faces would be fun. Kid was mildly surprised that the idiots apparently didn’t know who he was, living on Sabaody you would think they’d recognize the Supernovas slated to come through here and realize he was a target they couldn’t take. But then again, maybe they did realize who they had on their hands and thought they could handle him. He smirked even wider at that thought - oh, he hoped they were over confident and cocky, it would be that much more fun to pound their faces into the stone at their feet. 

Mapping out the area ahead of him, Kid calculated where they were most likely to pop out and attack from when he suddenly sensed another person at his back - far too close, far too quickly. Coming to a sharp and immediate stop, Kid threw an elbow back as he did so, planning to catch whoever it was in the gut unless they were exceedingly quick on their feet.

Before Eustass had even stopped, Law sidestepped the blow he anticipated from the other Captain. He learned from experience his sudden arrival was often met with startled violence, so he’d made it a habit to preemptively avoid a strike. He walked forward then, matching the pace Eustass had been walking at before, speaking in a conversational tone. “You’re popular today, Eustass. These gentlemen were admiring your hair from the bar window. Since you failed to devour me, I thought I’d watch you at least have a snack.”

The three men who had been following Eustass rounded the corner as Law finished speaking, four of the five remaining members of the group emerging from the shadows of various alleys, cutting off every route except the road directly in front of them. Law anticipated the missing eighth member of the group would show up sooner or later creating an effective circle around them. 

Refusing to let Trafalgar get ahead of him, Kid started walking again as the other man caught up and started running his mouth like they were friendly with one another. It didn’t take long before Kid shot him a look that was nothing short of venomous, hot anger flashing in his eyes. But before he could deliver a snarky rejoinder the “gentlemen” in question made their appearance and Kid dragged his attention back to the more pressing physical altercation about to be had. 

These fucking chumps weren’t worth his time. He wasn’t entirely sure that Trafalgar was either, at this moment, but that was neither here nor there. Kid rarely used his power on those that didn’t merit it and so he laced his fingers together and cracked his knuckles with a grin, stretching his arms out in front of him before throwing them out to the sides in a blatant invitation to attack. 

Law caught the look Eustass shot him and he smiled placidly in response. Regardless of why he was angry - whether it was for escaping in the first place or dropping in on a fight he could have handled himself, it really didn’t matter right now. They’d hash it out once the rabble was dealt with. 

“Hey… isn’t that Trafalgar Law?” 

“Two for the price of one....”

Law heard two of the three behind them murmuring amongst themselves and rolled his eyes. He’d been standing literally five feet away in the bar and they hadn’t even looked at him twice. In spite of the fact that they were clearly not well organized, there was a reason they felt confident following Eustass, who had a remarkably high bounty for a rookie. They didn’t even appear to be second-guessing their strategy now that Law had made his presence known. Together, they had a bounty over half a billion. That would make anyone with a brain at least pause. 

What did they have? What was their trump card?

Two of the men in the alley took Eustass’ challenge, darting at him from both sides. They were the biggest of the group, both nearly as tall as the redhead and just as muscular. The one on the left came at him low, hands curled into fists as he moved to lash out at Eustass below the belt while the second man coming from the right aimed a blow at his jaw.

While nobody would call him graceful, Kid was fast and he hit like a freight train. It barely took him three seconds to grab both men by the hair, twist his body to create space, and slam them together face first, laughing as the sound of crunching cartilage drifted up to his ears. It astounded him, how many men his size relied solely on that to win. It was lazy. At least when he fought hand to hand he could manage some finesse and skill, when he felt like it. 

Tossing them down at his feet, Kid lashed out twice more in quick succession, a steel toed boot to each already broken nose. That done he lifted one of the men by the back of his tunic, bodily throwing him at the nearest approaching gang member. He didn’t miss the fact that a scrawny little one was trying to sneak up on Traflagar and he almost didn’t say a damn word about it - let the bastard fend for himself - but maybe he’ll use his power and give Kid a chance to learn something more about him. “Yo, your six,” was about as much warning as he was willing to give though.

Sparing no attention to the brawl behind him, Law kept his attention on the eighth member of the group, who rounded the corner in front of him just as he’d expected. He had two pistols cocked, one in each hand, both aimed at Law’s chest. As a precaution, he’d kept his Room active, though it wasn’t visible right now since it was larger than the narrow street they were currently occupying. Bullets would be easy enough to deflect but he was hoping he wouldn’t have to give away any more of his abilities to a rival captain today. 

Knowing they were corralling them with the intention of capture and sale, Law was relatively certain he wouldn’t have to worry about being fired upon; a dead potential slave wouldn’t make them any money. His Room gave him a layout of everything in it, including the man attempting to sneak up behind him. Without even needing to look behind him, Law adjusted his grip on his sword and jabbed it over his shoulder once the would-be saboteur was in range, clocking him on the side of the head with the heavy wooden sheath. 

Settling the sword back in the crook of his elbow, he held his hand out in a sarcastic thumbs up directed as Eustass. The guy in front of him at least had the sense to look unsettled at the fact that Law had taken out his companion without even looking at him. 

The only response Kid had for Trafalgar’s mockery of a thumbs up was a heavy eye roll as he took another of their attackers out with a one-two punch to the gut and then the balls. In Kid’s mind there was no such thing as a dirty fight; if someone was going to throw down with him, they better be prepared to go all out. But it didn’t take long for a raucous grin to overtake Kid’s face as the small fry kept throwing themselves at him - he fucking loved this shit and the blood on his knuckles just spurred him on further. 

Judging by the sound of flesh hitting flesh behind him and the growing look of panic on the face of the man Law was watching, he assumed Eustass was winning. “You look a little nervous. Nervous men with guns makes me nervous,” Law drawled, holding up two fingers as he twisted his wrist.

“Shambles,” he murmured, figuring Eustass was too busy to pay attention to him right now. The guns in his would-be kidnapper’s hands were swapped with a few stones that had been at Law’s feet. “There, I think that’s better. You might want to run off, though, I don’t think Eustass is feeling very friendly right now.” 

There were only three of the eight remaining who hadn’t been lain out by Eustass; the one in a staring contest with Law, and two of the three who had followed behind him from the bar. The other five were dancing around him and getting hits in where they could in spite of several black eyes, broken noses, and missing teeth. They weren’t well orchestrated, but that made their strikes more difficult to predict.

The wild brawl in the center of the street came to an abrupt halt when a loud voice shouted, “Down!” Spread between the two who had hung back was a net, large enough to drape over Eustass if only just. They flung it into the fray as the rest of the members of their gang dropped to the ground. 

On instinct, Kid obeyed the order too. It was always best practice when your enemy was foolish enough to telegraph their next move to follow it, rather than stand like an idiot and allow it to play out like they intended. As luck would have it, that instinct was the only thing that stopped him from getting completely entangled in the net he nonetheless felt fall heavy over his legs. With a snarl of rage he recognized what they’d actually just done - seastone, those motherfucking goddamn pieces of shit - he shoved himself upright, grabbing at the loosely woven rope, trying to yank it off his body before his attackers could make any further use of it. 

The shout pulled Law’s attention away from the unarmed man who had, to his credit, stood his ground. He turned just in time to see the net fall over the other captain’s legs. There was something… off about it, a sense of unease that he couldn’t place at first until he noticed the way the sun glinted off the small pieces of stone embedded in the rope. Seastone. 

Two of the group who were closest to Eustass grappled him to the ground, or at least attempted to, buying enough time for the other three to pull the net more snugly around their prey. They seemed renewed by the turn of events, all five working together to keep the redhead down and weakened by the net. 

“You fucking pricks are going to choke on this fucking thing,” while it’s true that seastone sapped him of his ability to use his power, he hadn’t been relying on it to beat these guys anyway. He did feel weaker now, like his limbs were heavier and the air was thicker, but it didn’t render him immobile. Anyone who thought they were going to capture and sell him had another thing coming. 

He was able to wrench one arm free of the two men trying to shove him flat on his back. Like lightning he reached out and grabbed that weak fool by the throat, squeezing so hard veins in the man’s neck bulged out as he struggled to breathe. He hadn’t really intended on killing any of these idiots on purpose, but that thought was long fucking gone now. Kicking at the net and trying to use his feet like a propeller of sorts to push himself out from under it, Kid grappled best he could with the other men dogpiling him.

Now that everything had clicked into place and their trump card had been revealed, Law decided it was past time to end this little game. While easy enough to avoid, a group marauding as human traffickers with a seastone net wasn’t something he wanted to be looking over his shoulder for the entire stay.

Still not wanting to reveal his entire hand to Eustass, Law simply used Shambles to remove the group around them, pushing them all to the edges of his Room. They’d be back, of course, but without their nets he wondered if they’d have the balls to face two Supernovas once more. 

Turning on his heel, Law looped Kikoku through the net and used it to help pull it off Eustass’ body. “I guess we’re lucky they were useless,” he quipped, waiting for the other man to stand.

As the men grappling him suddenly vanished Kid shoved himself upright with a huff, dusting off the ass of his pants before snatching the net from the end of Trafalgar’s sword. While his tone wasn’t quite petulant, it was perhaps a little childish, “I was doing just fine without you.” Looking around suspiciously, he took the net in hand and began tearing it apart one strand at a time before refocusing on Trafalgar, “What did y’ do with them?”

“Yeah, I can see that. Did one of them break your nose or was it always like that?” Law considered Eustass’ question and shrugged nonchalantly. “I moved them away from us. They might come back, but it’s unlikely since we have their nets. Makes sense now, why they thought they were a challenge for you.”

“Still looks better than your whole face,” Kid shot back, pocketing the bits of seastone as he rips them free from the coarse rope. It was always useful to have a stash of the miserable little stones somewhere - he usually gave them to Killer and his second fashioned them into sticky projectiles the crew could use against particularly pain in the ass fruit users. Having them in his pocket did make him feel a little sluggish still, but it was better then when they were pressed to his bare skin. 

“Heh.” Far from offended at the jab, Law huffed a sound of amusement as he turned to retrieve the second net that was still half tangled in the bag it’d been carried in. There should be some use for it, but he didn’t bother taking it apart, just shoving it back in the bag before slinging it over his shoulder. 

Rolling his shoulders back with an exaggerated groan, Kid kept working on disassembling the net even as he started to meander back toward where he’d docked his ship. He was somewhat disappointed he hadn’t got to finish choking the life from the one guy he’d gotten his hands on, but if they were smart they’d vanish and he’d never get a second chance. Casting a look back over his shoulder at Trafalgar, Kid left him with one last parting shot, “Your pretty blue glow is so ladylike.”

“Not as pretty as your purple sparks,” Law replied without missing a beat. Bag secured and Kikoku tucked back in the crook of his elbow, he followed a few feet behind Eustass. It wasn’t his intention to follow the other captain, it was more that this was the most direct path back to his ship. 

Deciding that comment wasn't worth the effort it would take to respond to it, Kid chose to ignore the snark. Even though he knew Trafalgar was trailing after him, right now Kid was confident in his assessment the other man wasn’t a threat. They’d had an easy go at one another, trounced a group of idiots, and earned themselves a nice little prize. All in all, it just made Kid excited for the moment he actually gets to go at it with the scrawny bastard. Something about Trafalgar’s power was unsettling, but that just spurred Kid on further. Like hell he was going to be intimidated by anyone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh these boys. How can we not love them?  
> We appreciate everyone who's taken a moment to check out the start to this story and left a comment or a kudo, you guys give us life.  
> When we get into backstory/when Doffy shows up, this fic will take a very dark turn, we will warn on individual chapters but we want everyone to be aware upfront.  
> We are so excited for everything we have planned and hope you enjoy the ride as it continues on.


	3. A Polite Chat

“So…” Killer’s voice drawled low and easy through the afternoon air but Kid found himself almost too distracted to listen as they started to head back toward their ship, intent as he was on mulling over what he’d seen of Traflagar’s power as they’d fought the Marines, “that was one hell of an auction.”

“Right?” that quip came from Heat, stationed behind Kid’s left side. As his crew went back and forth discussing whether the proper term to use for getting to watch Straw Hat Luffy cold clock a Celestial Dragon was a “hard on” or a “righteous chub” Kid just shook his head and kept his power active and his focus elsewhere, though its use was limited as they traversed through the grass. At a minimum it did tell him that Trafalgar’s crew hadn’t gotten far - they were out of sight for now but headed in the same direction; he could sense the jewelry they wore.

The ability to swap things out, steal a human’s body parts while they kept right on living… a sharp “tch” escaped Kid as he shook his head. Nasty shit, nasty power. If you were going to decapitate someone, there should be some fucking blood. At least Trafalgar’s nickname was starting to make sense. For now though, Kid knew that he and his crew needed to get to safety and lay low until this whole thing with the Admiral being called on their asses blew over - he’d worry about Trafalgar after.

Not for the first time, Law wished his Room didn’t have a visual component. It would be much more comforting to make the trek back to his ship with one constantly encompassing himself and his crew for a quicker escape in case another Pacifista or group of marines showed up. It would definitely call too much attention to them now, so he settled for shepherding his white-clad sheep and keeping a watchful eye behind them. 

“Sooo, Captain,” Penguin began, having broken away from the group and lagged behind to catch up with Law, who had paused to make sure they weren’t being followed. He didn’t wait for Law to acknowledge him, continuing with his thought as Shachi came up on his captain’s other side. “Pretty great fight with that giant laser guy.”

Law continued walking forward as the other two fell into step beside him but he did not speak, knowing his oldest crewmembers would come to the point eventually. On cue, Shachi piped up, “Yeah, but we were wondering; if you hadn’t stepped in, that thing would have blown Eustass apart.”

There was a pause then, and Law resolutely continued forward, eyes on the horizon, searching for any approaching enemies. When it became clear that they were waiting for a response, he sighed. “That wasn’t a question.” 

“Oh. Uh, right, well, why didn’t you let Eustass get blown apart? The guy’s probably your biggest rival. Not to mention, his power is a little… intimidating? Considering our ship is… you know… made of metal.” Law watched as Penguin nodded sagely in his periphery. 

“If the option is to side with another captain or with the marines, I’d almost always side with my own kind. Besides, I’m not afraid of him. If he does become a problem, I’ll take care of him by myself. I don’t need some Vegapunk monstrosity to do my dirty work for me,” Law explained curtly. 

It seemed to be enough because before he had even finished speaking, the two others picked up their pace to join the herd ahead of them. “I told you, Shachi; our Captain’s not afraid of anything!” Law would have smiled if the situation wasn’t so tense. Idiots. 

Okay fine, so Kid would begrudgingly admit - to himself - that he had gotten a little too cocky with the laser human. He just wasn’t used to people getting back up after he’d put them down. But this close to the New World, he supposed it was a good reminder that he was going to come across some shit. In the end, they all escaped, so things were fine. 

What bothered him now was that they were five groves removed from where they’d fought the thing and only four away from his ship and yet, for some reason, Trafalgar was still within sensory range. Not that Kid cared, really, where the other Supernova was except that being followed irked him. 

As they came to the end of the gove, Kid and crew were confronted not only with the only narrow bridge that connected it to the neighboring mangrove but also the sight of The Heart Pirates approaching it from an angle. Kid set his teeth and his stance, his hands finding his hips as his eyes narrowed, “That desperate for a little attention, Trafalgar? Your mommy not give you enough when you were a kid?” 

It was impossible not to notice Eustass and his crew as they headed toward the bridge. Until the redhead planted himself in the middle of the grove in his best imitation of the Mangrove trees around them and addressed him personally, Law was planning on ignoring them altogether. There was little reason to consider them a threat right now, considering both captains and their crews were being hunted by the marines.

There was only a brief pause as Law gestured for his crew to continue on to their ship before he faced the other captain, his expression passive. “No, she didn’t. Must’ve been that whole being dead thing,” he replied, completely deadpan as he stared Eustass down unflinchingly. “I get the feeling yours gave you too much attention and that’s why you think everything is about you.”

Immediately Kid felt his teeth grate against one another as Trafalgar’s last comment reached his ears, his jaw clenching tight enough to ache. He wasn’t going to give the little fucker any satisfaction though, so he ignored the urge he had to throat punch him and instead responded with another jibe, “Dead, huh? Not hard to believe, she had to put up with you.” That said, Kid turned on his heel and jerked his head toward the bridge in a signal for his crew to get a move on - not the place and time for a pissing contest, he reminded himself. 

Having already dealt with these sorts of petty jibes from an innumerable amount of people, Law felt the words crest over and past him like a wave, jostling his usual stillness for a brief moment before he settled once more. He’d buried his survivor’s guilt a long time ago, and some punk kid from the South Blue with more attitude than brains wouldn’t even come close to unearthing it. Not with weak barbs like that, anyway. 

Most of his crew had already crossed the bridge when Law resumed his languid pace, not wanting to bring any unwanted attention to himself by sprinting to his ship. It seemed likely they were safe for now, with the Admiral and the rest of his back-up distracted by the Dark King and the Straw Hats. It was becoming clear that his ship and Eustass’ were anchored near each other, like some cosmic joke; of course he’d docked next to the only man in existence who could crumple his submarine like a paper ball. 

When Trafalgar chose not to come at him with a rejoinder Kid allowed the commentary to settle as well and turned on his heel to follow his crew. The fact that it put him pretty much on pace with the scrawny spotty kid couldn’t be helped, he certainly wasn’t about to lag behind and let the other Captain go ahead like he was in the lead or something. Anyway, Kid had to admit a bit of curiosity about the other man - watching his power at work was unsettling but left Kid full of questions. 

When they’d covered two more groves and still hadn’t parted ways, Kid let out a flippant sigh and tilted his head back and to the side slightly to look at Trafalgar, “... you docked at the Bay of Pigs in Grove 42.” It was a statement, not a question, and Kid didn’t bother to wait for confirmation. Of course they’d both docked their ships in the same place, the intel had been good that it was the safest location on the archipelago. He clicked his tongue then, shaking his head, “We’re gonna be fucked if we try to set sail right now, you know the marines have this place on lock.”

“Obviously.” Law didn’t feel the need to add on. He’d figured out they were going to the same place already, and what good would it do to discuss just how trapped they were here? That thought in particular set his teeth on edge, hairs standing up on the back of his neck. At least being on the Polar Tang was confinement of his choosing, that he had control over. Rolling his shoulders back to pull himself from that line of thought, Law glanced at Eustass, trying to gauge whether or not the redhead had anything else to say.

Kid tossed his next phrase around in his head for a moment, trying to decide if he really meant it before finally speaking, “Gotta admit, I’m a little curious...” While he found Trafalgar annoying he couldn’t deny the respect he felt for the other man, especially after seeing him fight, “We’re headed to the same place… I’d like t’know if you’re gonna be in my way or not.”

“Are you talking about heading to the same place right now, or in the grand scheme of things? Because if it’s the latter, I highly doubt it.” Law had been around pirates more than he’d been around law-abiding citizens. He knew what most of them were after, and if it wasn’t Raftel it was something equally greedy and entirely outside his interest. He had no designs on becoming the next King, and while money was nice it was definitely not what motivated him. 

“Tch,” the sound came again, a sharp and dismissive click of tongue against teeth, “y’know damn well I’m not talking about the bay.” But Trafalgar’s response had actually caught Kid’s attention - why would he doubt they’d run into each other? If he wasn’t a Supernova because he was after the title or the treasure, what the hell was he putting all this time and effort into? This was a question he absolutely wanted answered though he wasn’t stupid enough to think that Trafalgar would outright answer if he asked. 

“Well, good luck finding Raftel. You can send me a postcard now that we’re best friends.” Though Law was clearly being sarcastic, his tone hadn’t changed, still flat and bored. They rounded a corner and it immediately became easier to breathe; the familiar yellow of his ship docked at the edge of the grove meant that the Marines hadn’t found it and he still had time to board and sink below the surface until this whole fiasco blew over. 

Little fucker. Even though he rolled his eyes, Kid secretly enjoyed the dry sarcasm. At least this guy’s sense of humor was entertaining. “Sure,” Kid shot back, nonplussed, “I’ll address it to my disloyal subject.” His crew had fucked off on their own during the walk back, leaving him relatively alone with Trafalgar and as they came into view of the harbor he could see them in the near distance, clamoring to get back on their ship. He should yell at them for that but he didn’t actually care. 

There was something a little different about the way Eustass sniped back; Law had been able to tell before when his responses were pointed, but this one sounded almost amused. It wasn’t uncommon for people to find his sense of humor off-putting and that was just fine with him. Keeping people at an arm’s length was easier anyway and he didn’t have time to go out of his way to make people like him. Strange, going from making insults about each other’s mothers to this almost friendly banter.

“Your ship is as loud as you are,” Law observed, immediately picking out what had to be the Kid Pirates vessel even without the help of his crew swarming it. 

“Says the dude with a polar bear and a giant ass yellow submarine,” Kid drawled, a massive grin coming over his face as he felt the metal of Trafalgar’s sub come into range and start singing to him, a quiet hum that was just waiting for an order to come like a loyal dog. Oh, but this was a delightful turn of events, “Speaking of, you realize I’ve got your ass owned in that thing?” He was sure the other man didn’t need him to point out the obvious but he took delight in doing so anyway, using a touch of his power to make the submarine rock back and forth in the waves just to prove his point. 

“Bepo is a Mink,” Law corrected, though he knew of all the things Eustass pointed out that was the least important. There wasn’t really much he could do about the situation; the other captain would either fuck with his ship or he wouldn’t and he wasn’t about to say something and imply he was worried about it. “Try not to draw too much attention this way. It’d be a shame to see your ship underwater with mine.”

In response Kid let out a long, drawn out sigh that came with an included eye roll for dramatic effect. “Right, sorry mom.” he couldn’t help but smirk, pleased with himself at being able to so smoothly reference their earlier back and forth. Yet he didn’t take any further steps to screw with Trafalgar’s ship, at least not right now. They did have bigger fish to fry. Besides, if Kid got bored he could always just track the sub and see where the other captain was trying to get off to. 

They had reached the dock by this point in their conversation, and Law hesitated just a moment before he began to board his ship alongside the rest of his crew. He turned to Eustass, facing him fully as he scrutinized the redhead. When Law had initially assessed the other captain, it had been to observe his strengths and weaknesses. This time it was for an entirely aesthetic purpose. 

The moment of scrutiny lasted only a few seconds, but Law’s lips quirked up in amusement before he turned to follow his crew on the deck. “See you on the other side, Eustass “Captain” Kid.” 

Though it could be said he was dense to a lot of things, Kid always caught on the moment someone starting sizing him up and he always recognized the difference between an “I might want to fuck him up” and an “I might want to fuck him.” Trafalgar had raked him with the first look more than once but this time was decidedly different. Kid just turned fully into the other Captain’s gaze and let a wide smirk touch his features, locking eyes with Trafalgar knowingly. Only when the other man spoke did he chuckle and turn, heading the last few yards to his ship with his parting words drifting on the wind, “Damn straight you will.”


	4. There's More To Fear

It was too dark to see anything but the vague oblong shape of his pillow in front of his face. Law stared at the lump and willed his eyes to adjust to the dark. The blanket was heavy and hot where it draped over him, and he’d woken up with his limbs splayed in uncomfortable positions. Something about his hips being twisted and the way the blanket was bunched up felt like an elbow rammed into his side, but Law’s body was still sleep-heavy so he didn’t bother trying to move to get more comfortable.

The sound of the waves lapping against the shore filtered down strangely through the metal of the Polar Tang. It sounded like a singular sound rather than the continuous crashing of multiple waves. Whatever the reason, it was still white noise, so Law focused his attention on that to try and coax his racing thoughts into some semblance of quiet.

After what was likely only a few minutes but felt like at least an hour, Law gave up any hope of an easy night of sleep. Usually adrenaline-fueled days helped but it seemed even that wasn’t enough. The humidity in his room was making things worse. While it was usually warm in the sub while it was submerged, the temperature and the level of humidity didn’t seem to match. He felt cold and clammy in spite of the blankets tangled around him and he vaguely wondered if he was coming down with a cold or something.

The sound of the waves had gotten louder somehow - maybe the tide was coming in? Who knew what time it was… It was almost like he could make out the individual sounds of three separate staggered waves, crashing in, in, in - pause - out, out, out. Oddly loud considering that he wasn’t on shore, steady and rhythmic. 

Like someone breathing.

Ice cold dread slithered down his spine as Law opened his eyes, still struggling to make sense of the shapes in the dark. His arm was already stretched out in front of him and he uncurled his fingers, the tips stroking over what he’d initially thought to be a pillow. Instead, he felt the smooth expanse of a forehead giving way to a thin set of eyebrows. Further down, he traced the ridge of a nose and over the soft skin of a cheek before his fingers brushed over a lip, wet with saliva. The strange rhythmic sound of the waves suddenly made sense as he felt the exhale of a breath before a ropelike tongue curled over his ring finger, holding it in place as the slippery teeth snapped shut and bit the finger clean off. 

Too shocked to even scream, he listened to the bones of his finger crunch in the mouth of whoever had bitten it off and the sound seemed to be a trigger. Suddenly the pressure against his ribs he’d thought to be his blanket wound around him too tightly shifted, pushing against him as all at once the blanket, the pillow, the mattress all writhed against him in a blood frenzy.

Searching for the spark of power he’d been granted by his devil fruit, Law only felt hollow emptiness; something he hadn’t felt since he was 12 years old and slowly dying from Amber Lead Syndrome in the snow of Minion Island. 

“Stop! Get off me!” Finally finding his voice, Law shoved against the undulating mass of bodies slowly awakening around him, crushing him from above and below. His voice was quiet and panicked, high-pitched in spite of himself as he fought back, twisting and turning only to find he was becoming more and more constrained with each movement, no matter how small. 

Though he’d wished for the ability to see in the dark at first, he regretted the adjustment of his eyes now. Law could make out the arms reaching for him, the flash of teeth gnashing in the dark as he frantically tried to escape. The harsh sound of his own panicked breathing drew more attention from the bodies - corpses, he realized now - confining him as he shoved away again and again and again - 

The sound of metal screeching against metal jerked him awake. Kikoku was unsheathed in his hands, a furrow drawn through the metal wall beside his bed where he’d slashed at it. Sweat dripped in his eyes and the burning sensation convinced him he was no longer dreaming. Even with that confirmation, though, it took several minutes for his heart to beat at its usual rhythm. 

Reaching for the lantern on the nightstand, Law let the warm glow suffuse the room so he could assess the damage to the blade and the inside of his ship. It was easier to focus on these tasks than process the nightmare, though he could still hear the sound of breathing lapping like waves against the inside of his skull.

It wasn’t the first time he’d had that nightmare. It had come most often in the first years after his escape from Flevance, when his child’s mind processed the last breaths of his countryman in the back of the wagon he’d escaped in as the reanimation of the corpses around him, intent on tearing his life away too. The worst thing about the nightmare was that it had all been real.

Damage assessed, Law pushed himself out of bed and reached for the clothes he’d worn earlier in the day that were still draped over the foot of the bed. Tugging his boots on last, he grabbed his sword before heading for the controls to the ship; he knew he wouldn’t be sleeping any more tonight. 

Law was careful as he maneuvered the sub back toward shore, until he could feel Eustass’ ship within range of his Room. He wasn’t submerged as far as he’d usually prefer given the circumstances, but being that it was the middle of the night the darkness would serve as his cover. Without a word to any of his crew, he propped Kikoku over one shoulder before activating a Room, straining his reach until he was able to Shambles himself up onto the railing of the ship, looking out over the expanse of the deck. 

Dismissing his power, Law sank down so he was sitting on the rails, legs crossed with his chin in the palm of his hand. The position was casually impertinent considering he was trespassing on another Supernova’s ship. Unintentionally, he’d timed his arrival so that the deckhand keeping watch was facing away, and Law smirked as he drawled, “There should be two of you on watch. Otherwise you might miss stowaways.” 

A yelp, a curse, and a projectile launched in his direction immediately followed Trafalgar's words, the deckhand turning on his heel with a snarl on his lips. Whatever he had expected, coming face to face with the “Surgeon of Death” was not one of them and the fact that he was shocked was written clear as day across his face, even through the darkness. Eyes flaring wide, the deckhand took aim at the intruder again, holding steady and focused as he called for Killer.

The splash behind him was satisfying as Law righted himself, having leaned to the side to avoid whatever it was the hapless deckhand had thrown. He stared the other man down from where he was perched, head slightly cocked as he waited to see if he’d need to duck again or if the fact he wasn’t advancing or drawing his sword was enough to express he meant no harm.

The aforementioned blue-helmeted leggy blonde strode onto deck a few moments later, sighing softly as he surveyed the scene in front of him. Killer was quiet by nature but he was careful and he was cunning and he knew that trying to tangle with Trafalgar, whatever reason the psycho surgeon was currently hanging out on their railing, would not go well. His voice was calm as he spoke, words directed at the invader, “Stay, I’ll get the Captain.” 

Vanishing without another word, Killer was below deck for some six minutes before the sound of someone ascending the stairs echoed over the water. Pushing the door open with a heavy shoulder, Kid stepped out onto the deck with eyes narrowed and his arms crossed over an exposed chest. The night air didn’t seem to bother him as a cool breeze danced across the skin of his back. His voice, borne on the same air, was bored and mildly ill tempered, “What?” 

With no more projectiles or even threats thrown his way, Law relaxed further, letting his sword lean on the railing as he slouched comfortably, smirking insolently at the nameless crew member who was “guarding” him. He heard Eustass’ stomping steps before he saw him and in spite of the late hour was somewhat surprised that his fellow Supernova didn’t sleep in that ridiculous coat that looked more like a furry blanket than anything. 

The dappled moonlight shone from behind spotty clouds, highlighting some of the more interesting scars crisscrossing the redhead’s shoulders and chest. He wondered if his obvious staring would be enough to improve Eustass’ mood since his arrival had apparently woken him. Either way, Law didn’t bother trying to hide his gaze, dragging out the silence before he finally shrugged in response, sliding his body off the railing smoothly until his feet touched down with a soft ‘tap, tap’ as he came to rest on the deck. “Thought you might wanna go skinny-dipping with your new best friend,” he teased, smirk widening.

Kid could be a bit of a bear when he was woken unwillingly and Trafalgar making bedroom eyes at him right now was not doing anything to improve his mood. He’d been in the middle of a decent dream and had rather wanted to enjoy that occurrence. A dismissive little click of his tongue was the first response he gave the other Supernova, mind working a bit slower as he worked to clear the fog of sleep, “Yeah, sure, a midnight swim sounds like a great idea. You go first.”

“Nah, I’m not really dressed for the occasion,” Law replied, gesturing to himself. Sensing that his unspoken appreciation wasn’t really improving anything he tilted his head back to look up at the taller man, crossing his arms casually as he leaned back against the railing. He wasn’t sure what he expected by coming here; certainly not a warm welcome, but he still couldn’t help but feel a little… disappointed. Their banter had been fun, and Law had been so desperate for a distraction he’d probably over-inflated their tentative connection. What a stupid thing to do with a rival. Especially an attractive one. He was usually smarter than that. 

It was probably the fact he’d gotten a total of eight hours of sleep in the past three days. 

“...have you decided on a path? Once you cross into the new world?” It was a reach, this topic of conversation. But he had to say something; he was too proud to slink back to his ship looking like a fool. Especially after ogling Eustass like he’d just done. He hadn’t even come here for that in the first place, but he also hadn’t expected the redhead to come out half dressed.

Kid’s eyes flicked to his lone remaining crew member, watching him for a second before he jerked his head toward the staircase. Waiting until the guy got the hint and booked it, Kid kept silent though his gaze went back to Trafalgar, steady and unflinching. The wind was helping wake him up, at least. As he weighed potential responses in his mind, Kid’s mental fortitude stabilized enough that poking at the other man seemed fun again, “Y’forget how log poses work? Shitty captain, aren’t you?” 

“Did you forget how the Grand Line works? There are five paths on the other side of the Red Line to Raftel,” Law shot back, feeling a bit better now that Eustass was engaging with him and not immediately demanding he leave so he can go back to his cabin. “Were you expecting little arrows pointing the way for you?”

That got a smile from Kid, though it was more bared teeth than anything. “Y’know, I actually found this big round metal one I could follow with my eyes closed, thought it might be fun to see where that fucks off to.” While it wasn’t much of a threat, really, Kid didn’t mean it to be. He just rather liked reminding Trafalgar that he had him completely and utterly pinned. As he came more awake, Kid’s stance loosened somewhat, ease suffusing back into his posture. 

“Heh,” Law turned and glanced down at the water where the sub was lurking, hiding his amusement. There wasn’t much of a reason to be intimidated by Eustass’ words. If he was going to do something, he’d have done it already. There was something to be said for the oftentimes quickly formed bond between comrades in arms, even though the other captain had complained about the help he’d given during the fight with the Pacifista. It wasn’t strong enough to be called trust, but at least he knew the redhead was capable. “That’s assuming you can keep up.”

The shrug Kid gave at that was easy and unconcerned, “Don’t worry, you’d be on a leash.” The dark of the night, lit only by the moon overhead and the occasional flickering torch on a neighboring ship cast strange shadows on his face, making him look older than he actually was. After a moment he leaned back against the wall beside the door, kicking one foot up to rest against it as he’d done in the alley where he first met the other pirate. The raw wood grain against his bare back helped rouse him further, ground him to the conscious world. Calm as he looked over the water, Kid let his eyes search the dark for a moment before directing his attention back to Trafalgar, “Why are you here?”

“A leash, huh? You gonna buy me breakfast, at least?” Law quipped, smiling openly now as he turned back to face Eustass. He uncrossed his arms and leaned back on the railing, relaxing against the wood. The uncomfortable question was expected so he didn’t let it ruin his mood, which had done a complete 180 in less than five minutes. He really ought to sleep more. “I couldn’t sleep,” he answered simply, shrugging carelessly. That was all anyone needed to know. 

That got a bark of a laugh from Kid, his grin wide, “And I’m the best company you could find? You’re fucked, Trafalgar.” But Kid’s amusement was clear and his tone surprisingly warm. “Y’need me to tire you out?” coming from anyone else the comment would have come across as lascivious but somehow Kid managed to make it sound like nothing but a challenge.

“My Room only goes so far,” it was a lame excuse, although he wasn’t really trying to make one. Law was intrigued, and it wasn’t just that Eustass was a strong enough rival to prove a proper challenge. The other captain was just much more than he’d expected. Raising an eyebrow at the challenge, Law narrowed his eyes in thought as he pondered how to respond. Normally he’d have taken that as a double entendre, but when people propositioned him their tone usually got deeper, expressions darkening with lust. There was none of that with Eustass now, which just made Law even more interested. “Sure. What did you have in mind?”

With a triumphant little whoop, Kid pushed himself away from the bar and headed to the starboard side of his ship, throwing himself down in one of the seats at a small table tucked against the railing. He knew what he was about to proposition was completely unfair but that was half the fun. Resting his elbow on the table, he grinned at Trafalgar and jerked his head toward the other chair, “No powers, best two of three.”

Law followed Eustass over to the table and his expression turned bored again, both eyes raised, unimpressed. “Really? I don’t see how this is supposed to tire me out. If you want to hold my hand, you can just ask,” he drawled, sliding into the opposite chair after leaning his sword against the back of the chair. 

Unperturbed, Kid just kept his eyes locked on Trafalgar and waited. His gaze was predatory but it wasn’t cruel - rather, the look in his eyes suggested he had something devious planned, if someone managed to look close enough and could read him that well. He just wiggled his fingers at the other man in impatient invitation, waiting eagerly.

Realizing this wasn’t a trick, Law just sighed and rested his elbow on the table, fitting his palm against Eustass’ significantly larger one. He kept his grip light and loose, shrewd gaze sweeping over the redhead in an attempt to gauge if this was really just a ruse to get him close. Eustass had proven himself to be unpredictable.

The moment he had the smaller man’s grip firmly in his Kid moved, using his substantial strength and proximity to the side of his ship to haul Trafalgar up and over. Dragging him across the table by his arm and using that leverage to let Trafalgar’s own weight send him skidding over the edge of the railing, Kid planted his feet firmly and held onto his rival with a steady grip, looking down at him with a wicked little grin, “Ten pull ups. Prove you got some strength in that scrawny ass body.”

On instinct, as soon as his body was all but flung over the railing, Law activated a Room and prepared to transport himself to safety before he hit the water. When Eustass didn’t let him go and merely dangled him above the water like a cat toy, he huffed impatiently. Slowly the range of his Room got smaller and smaller until the soft blue glow faded entirely. It took a moment of shifting his grip, free hand going to steady himself on Eustass’ wrist before he smoothly pulled himself up and dipped back down, 9, 10, 11 times - just to prove a point. “Satisfied?”

As Trafalgar adjusted his grip and then actually - actually! - played along, Kid found himself suddenly realizing that he liked the scrawny little fucker. He was fun to spar with both verbally and physically and he could take a joke and a challenge in equal measure - all unusual qualities to find in the same person, especially someone who was supposed to consider him a rival. 

At Trafalgar’s self-satisfied little quip Kid only laughed as he nodded, pulling Law over the railing in one smooth motion and depositing him back on the deck of the ship with no effort, the swell of his muscle moving smoothly under pale skin. That done, Kid dropped down to the deck himself, settling into the push-up position, “Get on and give me a number.”

Briefly, Law adjusted his clothes as they had ridden up during the impromptu exercise, then glanced down at the redhead as he settled into a plank on the deck. “I thought we were supposed to be tiring me out,” he mock-complained as he plopped his weight on Eustass’ back all at once. The other man was much broader than he was and it was entirely inappropriate how much room he had; their height difference was hardly enough to explain it. Must be something in the water in the South Blue.

“I’m a gentleman,” Kid quipped, starting to press himself up and down in perfectly smooth, fluid motion, “can’t make you do all the work yourself.” At that he fell silent - Trafalgar hadn’t given him a number, but he wasn’t a wimp. Kid was determined and half the time he did this for fun - something about showing off made everything easier. Listening to nothing but the soft sound of waves lapping at his ship and the occasional sound of Trafalgar shifting above him, Kid settled into the impromptu workout.

“Right. A gentleman,” Law scoffed, crossing his legs as he settled in, weight shifting as Eustass moved. He could feel the other captain’s muscles shifting beneath him and it was an interesting feeling. The only times he could remember feeling another man’s muscles move like that, he was usually flat on his back. He had a different appreciation for it, now. After about five push ups, enough for him to get settled in, he spoke again. “How much stronger than me would you say you are? Two times? Four?” 

Kid clicked his tongue at that again, a dismissive little sound, “Haven’t fought you enough to get cocky with that answer.” While he was immeasurably confident in his own abilities and more than happy to be a boastful prick when he felt like it, it didn’t seem necessary to posture and preen tonight. “But,” he continued, words revealing a bit of clear respect for what he’d learned of Trafalgar so far, “it’s at least three times.” Most other men, he would have immediately started at five, minimum. 

Law hummed thoughtfully, having thought the number would be something outrageous. Judging by what he’d seen of Eustass’ fighting skills and this bit of showing off tonight, three times was probably a fair estimate. “Then you can do thirty,” he replied after Eustass had done another five, leaving twenty more.

The purr that got from Kid’s throat was so deep Trafalgar could feel it rumble through Kid’s body. With an easy smirk to himself, Kid pushed out an even forty without comment or pause, though he was covered in a sheen of sweat by the time he was done. Muscles bulging under Trafalgar’s weight and the strain of all forty push-ups, Kid pushed upright following the last one and held himself steady, taking a few deep breaths through his mouth before he spoke, “You kept count.” Something about the way the other Supernova was… Kid could tell he was the type to do exactly that. 

Shifting his weight, Law straddled Eustass’ back, letting one foot touch down on either side of him before he pulled himself up so he was standing. “Yeah. 39 felt like a weird place to stop, but I guess I ended up tiring you out after all.” Law was well aware of how many push ups Eustass had done, but he wasn’t about to make this too easy. 

Oh, but no way was Kid going to let that challenge go unanswered. Flipping himself over onto his back, the redhead placed his hands behind his head and lifted his legs, bending his knees to his chest and turning the soles of his feet to face the sky, “Let’s see if your balance is any good.”

“I was right. You were definitely in a circus before you became a pirate,” Law drawled, hesitating as he considered the best way to meet the challenge presented. Balancing on Eustass while wearing his boots didn’t seem that feasible, and as he crouched down to pull them off it occurred to him that this was the strangest interaction he’d had in a long time. Here they were, practically strangers and definitely rivals, and they were… what, exercising together? Why?

“When I fall elbow first onto your face, just remember this was your idea,” Law warned, gesturing for Eustass to hold up his arms so he had something to steady himself on as he attempted to balance on top of the redhead’s feet.

Kid gave in to Trafalgar’s bossy gesture without fuss, offering the other man his hands for stabilization as he got himself into position. For whatever reason - Kid wasn’t too worried about finding out why, specifically - he was enjoying himself. Trafalgar was engaging in ways Kid hadn’t expected and that made him want to see what else he could get from the other man. Once Trafalgar was situated, steady and upright above him, Kid placed his hands behind his head again and started to press his legs upward, keeping his feet level as he did so, “Don’t worry, princess, I’ll catch you if you fall.”

This was actually something he and Killer did often. It was a killer - pun intended - leg workout for whichever one of them was on the bottom and an intense exercise in balance, focus, and core strength for the one being moved through the air. Kid was curious how long Trafalgar could actually maintain. 

Wobbling slightly, Law held his arms out to steady himself. Balance wasn’t exactly a thing he practiced - he couldn’t say he practiced anything, really. Most of his strength came from just surviving the shit thrown at him rather than any consistent work put in, certainly nothing like this. It was impossible to know what it was, exactly - maybe it was the fresh air and the relative calm he hadn’t experienced in so long. Maybe it was the position Eustass was in when he pulled his legs back to his chest. Maybe it was just the raw memories that chafed at the inside of his skull after that nightmare. 

Whatever it was, Law suddenly remembered he’d done something similar with Lamy when she was still small. He could remember the way her delicate ribcage felt against the bottoms of his feet as he lifted her up into the air. She’d had to coax him to do it; he’d been serious even as a child. Still, even considering as serious and studious as he was, he’d liked making his sister laugh. The rush of memory brought his vision to tiny pinpoints of light and suddenly he was in a heap on the deck, having fallen backward like a sack of potatoes. 

While Kid hadn’t expected Trafalgar to last anywhere near as long as Killer could, he certainly hadn’t fingered him for falling within the first ten seconds. Throwing himself forward aggressively and trying to get his legs under him in time, Kid just managed to catch the back of Trafalgar’s head before it cracked off the deck. 

Looking down at his rival’s face, the smart remark Kid had on his tongue momentarily died in his throat - he’d seen that haunted look in the mirror. But nobody attained Supernova status without some kind of fucked up history, right? He didn’t need the other man to tell him that Trafalgar was just the same as him in that regard - he sure as hell didn’t want to fucking acknowledge it. So Kid went with what he knew, the safety in a crude tease, “Killer’s at least smart enough to dismount feet first, y’idiot.”

The pain blooming through various points of his body was welcome; Law was almost disappointed Eustass had kept him from knocking himself out. At least then he’d get some rest. Blinking slowly until the blackness in his vision was just in the periphery, his unfocused gaze solidified on Eustass’ face and he scoffed. The sound of Lamy’s laughter still echoed in his head, though, and he couldn’t think clearly enough to actually string together a good enough retort so he just kept his mouth shut, pushing himself up so he was sitting and refusing to acknowledge the dizziness that followed the movement.

Kid watched Trafalgar move without comment, letting the other man get his bearings before he pushed himself to his feet. He hesitated for a moment, unsure of where to go from here, but hovering sure as shit felt weird, “They keep you in a sub so they don’t have to worry about their dumbass captain going over the railing at the slightest wobble?”

Law considered Eustass warily, irritated at how affected he’d been all night. “Something like that,” he muttered, not bothering to be offended. He’d enjoyed the other captain’s company so far but that didn’t mean he was willing to open himself up to personal questions. Shifting on the spot, Law rolled his shoulders forward and straightened his spine, testing to make sure he hadn’t done more than bruise himself.

“Am I packing y’up and sending y’home, or are you gonna get off your ass and keep going?” Kid’s arms were crossed loosely over his chest, his gaze pointed but surprisingly gentle as he looked down at Trafalgar curled up on the deck of his ship. Why was this man so interesting? Why was he so… In that moment, something stark and cold hit Kid in the chest, a realization he was immediately cursing himself for taking so long to have.

Blue light. The skill he’d just today truly realized Trafalgar had. The ability to shift his body from one location to another without regard for the space between. Of course that’s how he had gotten on his ship. When Kid had been called on deck and come upstairs to see him sitting along a railing he’d just assumed that the other man had scaled the side somehow. But of course he hadn’t… Of course he wasn’t worried when Kid threw him over the side - any other devil fruit user would have fought him, but what had Trafalgar done? Let it happen and just called up that damn blue light. 

In an instant Kid had his hand fisted in the neck of Trafalgar’s shirt, yanking the smaller man up and off his feet, eyes hard as steel as he stared dead into Trafalgar’s own, “You ever invite yourself inside of my ship, you ever set foot inside my fucking home, I will wreck you so hard there won’t be anything left for you to put together. You get that?” Kid didn’t really give a fuck if Trafalgar wanted to pop in on the deck - that was manageable. But below… that was secret space. Safe space. 

With one palm on the side of his chin, Law pushed his head to the side, cracking his neck before putting his palms down on the deck behind him to keep himself upright. He’d woken up feeling worse, so it really wasn’t a big deal; he’d hurt his pride more than anything. Opening his mouth to reply, Law was suddenly hauled to his feet and the quick juxtaposition from Eustass’ relaxed posture to being held up like a cat being scruffed made his head spin for a few seconds before he could really reply. It seemed a bit belated, making that threat now, but that just made a slow grin spread over Law’s face. “I wasn’t planning on it, but now you’ve gone and made it sound fun,” he teased. 

The sound of Kid slapping Trafalgar across the face was almost as loud as the earlier sound of him tumbling down onto the deck. The fact that Kid used an open palm instead of a closed fist was the only indication that it was a warning shot instead of a declaration of something far more serious. Kid waited, eyes still narrow and dark, for Trafalgar’s head to come back around and acknowledge that he fully fucking got it.

Most people, when getting slapped, would turn their heads away from the offending hand. Law was not most people. Instead, he turned his face into Eustass’ hand and bit his palm. It wasn’t hard or for very long, but he wasn’t about to just let himself get slapped across the face without any retaliation. The grin was still in place, though, expressing that he wasn’t really bothered by the action. “Don’t worry, Eustass. I have no interest in whatever you’ve got hidden below deck.”

Kid’s eyes stayed narrowed a moment longer, scrutinizing Trafalgar’s response, before abruptly dropping him back onto his feet and stepping away. “Good,” the comment came short and concise, Kid moving on before Trafalgar could give much more thought to the whole situation, “You tired enough yet or do I have t’keep working on you?”

Already, the earlier feeling of foolishness crept its way back in and Law shook his head. He was grateful that Kikoku was close enough he only had to take a few steps to get it. “I’ll manage,” he replied, trying to keep his cool facade even after he’d literally just fallen on his ass. “I shouldn’t keep you from your beauty sleep much longer.”

That got a scoff out of Kid, the sound dismissive, “You need it way more than I do.” Not that the redhead was against going back to bed - after all, he really didn’t enjoy being woken up when it wasn’t necessary and 40 pushups had left him pleasantly warm; he could doze off easily enough. But he didn’t argue and didn’t move to help or hinder Trafalgar, watching him thoughtfully as the other man collected his things and moved to go. He couldn’t help but wonder what demons had pulled the other man down but like hell he was going to ask.


	5. See You On The Other Side

It took the crew of the Polar Tang almost three months from the time they had escaped Marineford to reach the New World. Law had been purposefully vague in his reasoning to his crew, but the reality was that performing the delicate operations on both Luffy and Jinbe had depleted so much of his energy that he was hardly ready to take on the added challenges that awaited them on the other side of the Red Line right away. 

At least he’d been able to catch up on what felt like years of missed sleep. 

Those of his crew who knew him the best caught on to the fact that something had been off, but Law was careful to hide his condition with a careless smile and assertions that he’d been shut in his room for so long planning their next course of action. It bought him some time, but Bepo was still concerned enough to leave plates of food outside his cabin - including, on a day where he’d been particularly zoned out, the Mink’s favorite difficult-to-find fish. Law didn’t have it in him to be annoyed that it hadn’t been cleaned or prepared at all, dead eyes glistening up at him from the tray.

Heading into the New World, Law continued on his careful path toward his end goal, exercising even more caution as they got closer. His interference at Marineford had mostly been on a whim, something about knowing Straw Hat carried the Will of D spurring him into action he might not otherwise have taken. 

The first island they’d approached only took four days for the log pose to set, but he’d lingered for a week in bars and brothels, eavesdropping and reading the news as it came along. This close to the Red Line, it was mostly Mariejois gossip, though he did get a good sense of which Supernova crossed over and when - he even overheard a story of Eustass’ arrival to the island months ago. It was funny; they’d joked about following each other into the New World, and without even meaning to they had. 

The second island took longer; two weeks, and they left as soon as it was done. Winter islands always made Law feel stir crazy. 

Rocky Port was the third island in the path Law had chosen and he was prepared for more of the same. Watching from the shadows, picking up pieces of information here and there, some useful but mostly not. He knew it would be different as he approached an out of the way stretch of beach known to be safe harbor for pirates and saw a familiar ship anchored there. Smiling in spite of himself, Law had the Polar Tang breach the surface nearby. From the deck, he ignored his crew as they went about dropping anchor, instead focused on the larger vessel. 

So far, the New World had given Kid all the space he needed to fully flex his muscle - or his metal, if he felt like making a pun. The sheer rush of it had started early as he’d watched Haritsu Kendiyo and his crew struggle pointlessly and then die at his whim. Bastards had deserved it, so callous and cruel until someone stronger came along to make a point. 

“Paradise.” Fuck them. The sheer gall of it, to think that just because it was the first half of the Grand Line that people couldn’t be just as inhumane, just as monstrous as they were here. Hell, people were like that in South Blue, in all the other seas - the Grand Line wasn’t special, the New World wasn’t exotic… it was just the place many of the world’s shittiest people decided to gather together. 

As Kid and his crew made their way from island to island, he kept that thought in the back of his head like always. There was just a larger conglomerate of assholes and cocksuckers here, more people to hone his skill on, more people to destroy. One of those opportunities - a rather large one, honestly - was what had kept him anchored at Rocky Port for quite a bit longer than anticipated. 

About three days into their stay on the island, Killer had stumbled upon intelligence that a gang based here ran captives for profit. Kid would hardly call himself someone who gave a shit about what happened to other people, much less a savior, but the details of this particular group’s activities had set him so on edge he’d put a fist-shaped hole straight through his desk when Killer told him what he’d discovered. 

It had changed his plans slightly - he’d planned on bouncing as soon as the Log Pose reset, but that had happened weeks ago. Kid was going to see the gang destroyed - every last one of the little bastards - before he set sail again. And this was why he found himself standing on deck one evening waiting for dinner to be served, completely unperturbed until movement off the aft end of his ship caught his eye. 

When that damn yellow sub surfaced Kid almost sputtered his disbelief out loud. Fucking Trafalgar, here? Fine, so the other Supernova had caught up to him - that was only because he’d stopped for so long. Watching as a hatch on the roof popped open and the aforementioned man pulled himself up into the fresh air, a harsh, barking laugh escaped Kid’s throat as new sense of excitement welled in his chest, “Look who the hell it is.”

Law felt himself smiling when he caught sight of the redhead, though he kept it contained to the same smirk he’d worn on Sabaody. “What happened, Eustass? Did you need your big bright arrow after all?” he teased easily, calling up a Room just large enough to encompass the railing of Eustass’ ship and willing himself on the other captain’s deck. Sitting back on the railing, he assessed the table his rival was standing beside and rested his chin in his palm. “What’s for dinner?”

“You,” the response came with a confident little smirk, “new rule since you were here last, we eat intruders.” Kid casually crossed his arms, at ease and amused, “Too scrawny for a meal, but you look like a good snack.” He wouldn’t say it aloud, but Kid was actually thrilled to see Trafalgar again - he’d missed their back and forth from Sabaody and falling back into it was easy as breathing. 

“Well, let me make it easy for you so you don’t get lost trying to catch me,” Law replied as he slid off the railing and crossed the deck to the table, draping himself over the length of it. “I’ve heard some cultures eat eyes as a delicacy,” he added, winking at Eustass as his smirk widened. 

The cackle that got from Kid was pure, devilish delight. He followed after Trafalgar in an instant, mounting the table over top of his proffered offering and boxing him in with knees spread across slim hips. Looking down at the other man beneath him made his head spin slightly as a rush of dominance ran through him - how easy it would be to wrap his hands around Trafalgar’s throat and choke the life from him, or to press his hand over Trafalgar’s heart and activate his power, force eager metal to dig through yielding flesh until it reached the palm of his hand.

Though they were both delightful options, Kid settled for fisting a hand in Trafalgar’s hair and yanking back, exposing the slim throat as he leaned in to study the other man’s eyes, “I’ll try anything once.” 

Law was used to his morbid humor putting people off and part of him expected the same from Eustass. The other part expected the redhead to go for a fork and pretend to be interested. No part of him expected this. It had been long enough that he’d mostly forgotten his initial attraction to the other captain but now he was completely certain that wouldn’t happen again for a long time. His smirk melted from his face in surprise, grey eyes dilating into black. Law didn’t pull away from the unforgiving grip of Eustass’ fingers threaded through his hair and after his initial shock wore off he smirked again, though this time it was less amused and more hungry. “So will I.”

“Not on the table, Captain. We eat there,” Killer’s level voice interrupted as he and Heat entered from below deck, arms laden with food. He set the tray down on the edge of the table, away from the two bodies taking up most of the room and crossed his arms expectantly, waiting for his captain to see reason.

“The fuck...” Heat’s quiet, almost resigned comment followed on the heels of his first mate’s reaction. It had been weird enough that Kid had allowed Trafalgar on their ship the first time - of course he’d heard the stories - but to have it happen again and then find them like this… it was enough to make a crew member question a few of the things he thought he knew about his Captain.

With a sigh, Kid clicked his tongue softly in response to the interruption but otherwise chose to ignore it for the time being. Returning his focus to the body beneath him, Kid licked his lips slowly before leaning down and whispering in Trafalgar’s ear, accompanying the words with another sharp tug to the black locks snaked between his fingers, “I’ll come find you next time I’m hungry.” That said, the redhead pushed himself back and away, kneeling on the edge of the table briefly before regaining his feet on the deck and turning to sink into his usual seat, grinning up at Killer, “He said he’d be the appetizer.” 

Biting his lip, Law turned his head away to try and muffle the mixed sound of amusement and arousal working its way up his throat. Apparently they were done beating around the bush. Once he was released and had enough room, Law pushed himself up onto his elbows and grinned at the two other men in challenge. 

“Don’t ruin your appetite. You don’t know where he’s been,” Killer replied, shoving Law’s legs out of the way so he could spread the food out for the rest of the crew slowly filling the deck. 

Taking the hint, Law slid off the table and retrieved his hat from where it’d been knocked off. “I guess we’ll see if you can keep up with me,” he quipped, teasing again as he turned back to the railing.

“Don’t have to,” Kid teased back, grinning at Trafalgar through a mouthful of food - somehow it barely managed to garble his voice, “took you two months to catch up to me this time.” As much as he enjoyed this back and forth with the other man there were still some things he wasn’t willing to do. Extending an offer to eat at his table, with his crew - his family - was one of them. 

He’d already shot a sharp glance Killer’s way the moment his second had set his burden down, sending the other man back into the bowels of the ship without a word. While Killer’s jaunt back into the underbelly of the ship was short, it left Kid feeling significantly more at ease when the helmeted man came back to eat, taking his seat while sending a short nod his captain’s way. 

Kid took another mouthful of food, chewing and swallowing before turning his attention back to Trafalgar, the other man insolently lounging against the railing again, “Y’know, y’could do that on your own ship if you’d’ve been smart enough to get an actual ship, instead of that sinking tin can.”

Tipping his head back to glance down at his own vessel, Law chuckled. “Maybe I should give you my eyes to see with instead of to eat. My ship has rails too,” he quipped before disappearing from the deck only to reappear balancing on the railing of his own ship. He took a few mocking steps before jumping down, knowing from Eustass’ vantage point he’d be able to see if he was looking. 

“If you do that, would y’feel it when I bit it clean in two?” Kid called down from his seat, tone casually cocky. Eating eyeballs wasn’t really high on his list of priorities at all but he wouldn’t turn down the challenge if it was honestly offered. He couldn’t help but be curious about the actual logistics of it all. Trafalgar’s power kind of creeped him out, set him on edge, so he figured the more he knew about it the better he’d probably feel. Maybe.

The only response Eustass got was Law’s laughter as he headed below deck to take stock and gather his crew to prepare for an excursion into port. Regardless of the redhead’s presence, Law was still focused, still intending to spend time gathering intelligence and preparing for the future. Each step he took in the New World was carefully calculated; the closer he got to the finish line, the more certain he had to be that he wouldn’t trip.


	6. Out With a Bang

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings for canon-typical violence (nothing too graphic), and mentions of slavery/child abuse.

Though they remained docked next to one another, the two captains went their own ways for a number of days. Both kept odd hours and had their own work to see to, so it wasn’t until four days later that Kid even laid eyes on Trafalgar again, rather by accident. Trying to find a bite to eat had sent Kid, Killer, and Heat down a narrow alley filled with the warm, pungent scent of something fresh from the oven and they wanted.

Following his nose is what led the redhead to his fellow supernova, nestled back to the wall at one of the outdoor tables served by the nearby establishments. The very same table Kid would have picked for himself. So, he thought with a smirk, making eye contact with Trafalgar, there was nothing stopping him from picking it now. 

Walking up to Trafalgar without a care in the world, Kid dropped down into the only empty seat, flicking his fingers at the closest empty table in a sign for his men to grab some spare chairs. “Come on,” he commented to the Polar Tang’s two crew members seated to either side of their captain, “make room. Or did your captain never teach you manners?”

“Manners? Why would I teach them a silly thing like that?” Law asked, his eyes never having left Eustass’ since the redhead arrived. Sitting up a little taller, he gestured to Penguin and Shachi to stay where they were. “Your men can sit over there. It’s crowded enough already.”

That only made Kid laugh, the sound quickly masked by the scraping of metal against stone. Bidden by his power, the chairs of Trafalgar’s underlings moved closer to their leader, opening the space needed for his men. He kept watching Law with a self-satisfied look on his face as Killer and Heat took their spots beside him, “I only ask for things once.” 

Unperturbed, Law simply called up a Room and used Shambles to move Eustass and his crew to the unoccupied table across the way, pushing Penguin and Shachi back to their previous positions. Smirking, he turned to where Eustass was, wiggling his fingers at him in a mock-wave. “Since I don’t have any manners of my own, why don’t you show me yours? You can sit here if you ask. Nicely.”

“Hah,” the short cackle of a laugh that escaped Kid at that was easily amused, though a bit dark, “well played. But use that fucking power on me or my men again and I will slit your throat.” The words were almost jovial in tone, though they were undercut with a current of truthfulness that would be hard to miss. Threat made, Kid settled back into his chair and crooked a finger at the nearest barmaid, demanding a beer and some of whatever it was that smelled so good. 

It was very tempting to test Eustass, but instead Law let his power fade and accepted his victory. The three of them had been there for a little while, mostly because they’d complained they hadn’t spent much time with their captain in months and Law was in an indulgent mood. This also seemed to be where a good amount of locals spent time, and Law was hoping he’d catch wind of something interesting while Penguin and Shachi played ‘which barmaid is the most attractive’. 

Eyeing Eustass, Law sipped the remainder of his drink thoughtfully before he spoke again, curiosity getting the better of him. “What’s kept you here so long? Did the New World make you change your mind about making it all the way to Raftel?”

“What took you so long to get here,” came the rejoinder, Kid’s words smooth, “get scared once you hit this side of the Red Line?” Like hell he was planning on filling Trafalgar in on the details. He and his crew were only a few days away from finishing what they had set out to do - the bastards in question were meeting up three nights from now, all of them, in some kind of yearly celebration. It was a bit of good luck and their best chance to wreck them all.

“No, I spent some time with the Kuja,” Law replied casually, knowing that most men would kill for the chance. Not that it meant that much to him; they were women just the same as anywhere else. He waited, scanning Eustass’ expression for signs of disbelief or jealousy and ignoring the groans of Penguin and Shachi, who had barely moved on from their obsession with Amazon Lily.

“Tch,” the look of dispassionate disinterest on Kid’s face was clear as day, still slouched casually in his chair, “that’s what you wasted time doing? Fuck, you wanna get laid there’s a ton of bodies between the Red Line and here. Idiot.” Sure, most men needed to scratch the itch and the Kid Pirates had found their indulgences, but no bout of sex was worth wasting that much time on. 

Chuckling, Law finished the rest of his drink with a shrug, pleasantly surprised once again by Eustass’ reaction. “I never said that’s why I stayed. But if that’s where your head’s at, maybe you’re the one that needs to get laid.” The implication in his tone and unwavering stare was enough that even Penguin picked up on it. 

“...Captain, I don’t really think that’s a good idea,” he muttered in a hushed tone, shooting a desperate glance at Shachi so that he wasn’t the only one trying to rein in their leader.

Kid could be dense from time to time, but he immediately picked up on the (completely unsubtle) signals Trafalgar was throwing him. The same urge to dominate the other man he’d felt earlier reared its head again, making him bare his teeth in something of a feral challenge, “If you’re making an offer, come around later.” This wasn’t the first time Trafalgar had sent innuendo his way, or chosen to flirt. Kid wasn’t about to let him think that Kid couldn’t - or wouldn’t - keep up. 

“Definitely not a good idea. I think we should go, we have… stuff… back on the ship,” Shachi insisted, pushing away from the table and looking expectantly at Law. For his part, Law’s gaze hadn’t wavered and he was still smirking. Remembering their encounter a few days before he tilted his head back slightly, exposing his neck for a moment - just long enough for Eustass to know he was doing it on purpose - before he gave in to the pleading of his subordinates and stood. 

“Find Bepo. I have something I want to run by him.” Law changed the subject easily as he stepped around the table, moving behind Eustass’ chair as they headed back up the alley the way they’d come. Regardless of what he wanted, he wasn’t about to let the redhead think he was desperate. Or easy.

Kid kept his eyes locked on Trafalgar until the other man finally made it out of sight. The arch of that thin, fragile neck made him want to dig his fingers and his teeth in, bloody Trafalgar up a little, show him who was stronger. It made Kid want to hold him down and prove a point, leave him with marks that wouldn’t fade for days. Kid knew Trafalgar’d want other things too, knew he could get him desperate under him; he might oblige if the other captain asked pretty enough. 

With those pleasant thoughts winding around his mind, Kid took a swig of his beer and grinned to himself as he saw his food coming - one way or another, things on Rocky Port were going to go his way. 

Though the back and forth between them was always fun and Eustass’ offer more than a little enticing, Law was still primarily focused on his objective. He spent several hours with Bepo and their maps, plotting out various courses that were dependant on the outcomes of certain events he was keeping an eye on. Law was tracking the movements of the Marines, his fellow Supernovas, the Yonko, even the Revolutionaries when he caught wind of their actions. Keeping his options open was the only way he would ever be successful.

The fact that Eustass had lingered here for so long was one thing that piqued his interest. It was unlike the other captain and it had to mean there was something about this island that he was missing. What he did know was that Rocky Port was close to a marine base - close enough that the families of the marines stationed nearby were the primary inhabitants of the island - which called for a heavier than normal Marine presence in the major port town opposite where they were docked. 

The man who oversaw the Marines on Rocky Port itself was related to Akainu, so most of the pirates who came here knew to tread carefully. That said, Eustass had never shown interest in taking on the marines for no reason so it was unlikely that was his reason for lingering here. Given that his previous attempts at sussing out the reason for his delayed departure had failed, Law resorted to his usual tactics of eavesdropping. 

He had his men on deck keep an eye on Eustass and his crew, giving him updates on when the rival captain left his ship. Tonight was the first time the redhead and his whole crew left together at dusk, so Law followed at a distance, using his power to transfer himself from rooftop to rooftop to keep from being seen. 

The Kid Pirates, as a whole, were in a jovial mood as they strode into town. The party they were targeting had been in full swing for about forty five minutes and according to their intelligence man everyone they wanted in attendance had arrived. Kid himself was engaging with his men, encouraging their spirits and generally playing along with their excitement. His face - and Killer’s, under his mask - were the only two that showed any sign of how serious the captain was taking this raid. 

This wasn’t just a simple show of strength. Never one to put much stock in subtleties, Kid led his crew right through the front door without pause or preamble and in an instant, he felt his blood turn to ice in his veins - there were women and kids scattered among the partygoers and it was damn clear they weren’t excited to be there. 

Well, good news. He was excited to be there and he couldn’t wait to fuck shit up.

As Law followed Eustass deeper and deeper into what he’d already learned was the “bad” part of town, he couldn’t help but wonder if they were planning on partying before finally leaving. Why else would they all be heading to the same place in what appeared to be an excited manner? What was their end goal? A brothel? A particularly rowdy bar? 

When they approached an unusually lavish building compared to the surroundings that appeared to be neither bar nor brothel but rather a private residence, Law tilted his head and strained to try and overhear any of the conversation below him. He did what he could to figure out the residences of important figures at each port he spent enough time at so he knew which places to snoop around in should the whim strike. This building happened to be the one Akainu’s cousin resided at. 

The other captain didn’t hesitate as he shouldered open the door without slowing his pace. Law watched the rest of the crew trickle in, but there was a violence to the way Eustass was moving tonight that alerted him to the fact this wasn’t just a friendly visit. Trading places with a potted plant just outside the door once he was certain no one was looking, Law crouched down to listen to what was going on inside.

As the redhead shoved his way in through the front door, two men standing guard turned in an attempt to bar his entry, eyeing the group of men crowding in behind him. “You lost, numbskull? This is a private party. Beat it,” one of them, taller even than Eustass and almost twice as broad, grunted as he shoved at the captain’s shoulder.

“Sounds good,” was the only response Kid gave, a wicked, vicious grin taking over his face as his fist came up and smashed into the other man’s jaw. The size of his opponent didn’t bother him, nor did the fact that they were outnumbered and surrounded by weaponry - anything that could hurt them in here had metal on some portion of it. Basically, he was Kid and this was a candy shop.

Activating his power in short order, Kid laughed as he started pulling all the enemy weaponry in the room toward him. This was going to go quick and it was going to go bloody. “Make sure nobody escapes,” was the only order he felt the need to give - his crew knew what to do otherwise and he eagerly joined them in doing it.

The bull of a man guarding the door took the blow on the chin like it was nothing and roared, taking two lumbering steps forward with the clear intention to tackle Eustass to the ground, unaware of the slowly amassing collection of metal objects hovering around them ominously. 

Although Kid wasn’t actively attracting his blades, Killer could feel the magnetic field around them and curled his fingers around the handle a little tighter to keep his aim from being compromised. The second guard, only slightly smaller than the first, nonetheless went down in a shower of arterial spray. It was at this point that the rest of the room started to panic; the guests reached for their weapons only to find them pulled out of their grip and women fell sobbing to their knees as children ducked behind furniture. 

Several of the men rushed Kid and his crew in an attempt to overpower them while a few at the back turned and fled deeper into the house - whether for more weapons, back-up, or simply to hide like cowards was impossible to tell in the panicked chaos that broke out.

There was a perverse kind of pleasure in turning a weapon against its owner and that’s exactly what Kid did. He’d spent countless hours perfecting his craft, honing his ability to direct multiple objects independently of one another yet at the same time. The fruit of that labor was on clear display tonight as each sword in the room did a one eighty and shish kabobed its accompanying human without preamble.

Guns were a little bit trickier, but he managed regardless. Aiming each and pulling the trigger took a few seconds longer but it just proved how cowardly their targets were - most of them took the shot to the back, as they had turned to run and flee. Kid felt absolutely no remorse for the pathetic creatures dying at his feet. These men were nothing.

While they were powerful the Kid Pirates as a whole were severely outnumbered and Kid hadn’t managed to slaughter everyone with their own weapon in concert, as beautiful as that would have been. Flanked by his crew and easily lost to blood lust, Kid felt the concept of time slip away as his rage wrapped around him like a blanket - he was a wolf among sheep here, a master come to cull the herd. With a yell he threw himself at the big guy he’d previously punched - taking him down hand to hand would be fun.

The concert of screaming, gunshots, and dying gasps inside the house spilled out into the street so clearly that Law could easily hear what was going on. Of course, that meant the neighbors could hear it too. This wasn’t the best part of town, so he wasn’t sure just how much of a difference it would make to the rest of the street that all the occupants of this particular house were being slaughtered but something told him the marines would be notified eventually. 

Having kept his Room up from when he transported himself here Law easily pushed the diameter of it wider to encompass the house, scanning the interior to determine the layout and placement of everything in it as he searched for an appropriate place to pop in. It really wasn’t any of his business and he knew that, but he’d come this far and there was clearly something bigger going on here. It couldn’t just be that whoever these people were they’d offended Eustass somehow; he had a short temper and he didn’t wait around to fuck up whoever crossed him. 

There was a bar in the back corner of the room, unoccupied by anyone living. Staying crouched, Law used his power to bypass the carnage and found himself kneeling in a pool of blood. He hadn’t yet decided if he wanted to just observe or interfere, so he remained hidden and quiet, letting his power dissipate for now so the soft blue glow didn’t attract any unwanted attention. 

The man Kid was grappling with seemed to realize something strange had happened, given the fact that he heard gunshots but didn’t see any of the redhead’s crew take a hit. He didn’t bother turning around or trying to reassess the situation; he just kept taking swings at the pirate captain like he was a punching bag. He was a mountain of a man, but his bulk made him slow, and he quickly found himself surrounded by four of the Kid Pirates’ crew as the rest pushed further into the building to find those who had fled.

If you asked Kid later, he’d shrug and tell you he blacked out from that moment on. It happened, sometimes, when he found himself that embroiled in his rage. It always got him his desired end result though and it didn’t let him down tonight, either. With the combined effort of himself and his backup the guard fell easily enough, though he left Kid a bruise across his right shoulder he’d be wearing for quite a few days. 

That done, Kid pulled his gun and shot the guy right between the eyes for good measure before stepping further into the bar, lifting his head to survey the surroundings. Too-thin women and emaciated children were the only ones left living, though most of them were covered in somebody else’s blood. With a terse order to a handful of his men, “Get them out of here,” Kid started to move toward the back of the home and the rooms he couldn’t see. There were certainly more people upstairs that needed slaughtering. 

Now that things seemed to be calming down, Law glanced at the corpse next to him; a man slumped back against the wall with what he assumed to be his own sword buried in his chest. The location of the sword wouldn’t have been an immediate death; in fact, looking at him now, Law guessed he was probably still alive. Gaze sweeping over the prone body, he noticed the familiar curve of a transponder snail resting in the man’s cupped palm. Gingerly picking up the creature, Law could see by its markings it was marine-issue. More importantly, it was still connected to whomever was on the other end of the line. 

With a sigh, Law cut the connection and reached up to set the snail on the counter of the bar, pulling himself up to stand. “This is quite a mess you’ve made, Eustass.”

Trafalgar was damn lucky Kid wasn’t twitchy or he’d have wound up with the closest piece of metal buried in his chest. Might even have been a sword. As it actually went, Kid only twisted his head around and glared at the other man, eyes narrowed and tone clearly unwilling to fuck around, “That’s the point.” 

Why Trafalgar was here Kid could figure easily enough - he followed him from the docks. Whatever. The other Supernova’s presence wasn’t going to impact the outcome of this night one way or the other. If Trafalgar was smart he’d stay out of the way; if he was stupid, he’d get himself killed. Refocusing himself, Kid found the stairs and started to head up them, the thudding of his boots a heavy, ominous sound as it echoed through the home. 

Ever the level-headed one, Killer had started gathering the women and children, speaking in an even, almost pleasant tone as he brought them together and ordered one of the crew to get some water and rags to clean them off. It was smart, Law thought, working to tidy them up and calm them down instead of just sending them off into the city traumatized and shaken. 

Law had no intentions of getting in the way. He knew helping was the only way to sate his curiosity and judging by what he could infer to have happened here, this particular group seemed to have deserved their fate. He followed behind Kid, keeping a safe distance as they ascended the stairs. 

Once they reached the second floor landing, they were greeted by the sight of Heat and Wire looming over two well-dressed men who were kneeling in the hallway. One was an older man, easily in his seventies, and the other hardly looked to be older than a teenager. The old man was glaring, passive and calm as he looked up at the redhead, mouth set in a thin line while the younger man had his hands clasped together so tightly his knuckles were white.

“Please, this is a mistake. You have to spare us. We can pay whatever you ask, just let me and my grandfather go,” the boy began rambling as soon as Kid stepped into view, recognizing him as the leader of the attack.

“Let you go?” the way the question left Kid’s lips it was almost genuine, as though he couldn’t understand why it was being asked. Using the heavy gold bracelet wrapped around the younger man’s wrist as leverage, Kid dragged his hand down until it was resting on the floor - easily within reach of his boot. Taking the opportunity presented Kid stepped forward, brushing the heel of his boot up against the edge of the man’s hand, letting the ball of his foot rest ominously over top of fragile fingers, “Let you go.” 

It wasn’t a question this time, even though it sounded like it. As Kid began to shift his weight forward he spoke calmly through the sound of the man’s screaming and the softer sound of crunching bone, “Did you listen when all those fucking kids asked you the same thing? Did you?” While Kid maintained his composure, the strain in his body spoke to the rage that still filled him from tip to toe, “Don’t worry, you don’t have to answer, just keep screaming. I already know your answer from the scene downstairs.”

The boy struggled against the sudden surge of gravity holding his wrist taut to the floor, screaming anew each time a new bone popped. “Please… please… we just got here… we didn’t know,” he sobbed, his free hand pushing against Kid’s ankle to try and relieve the pressure of his heavy boot as it crushed his hand. “What do you want? We can pay whatever you ask, just let us go.”

“Give those kids their lives back,” Kid stated, deadpan as he started rocking back and forth on that foot, from heel to toe, curious as to just how sharp and fine he could grind the bones under the weight of his body, “make it so they never knew what it feels like to be scared every damn second of every damn day and I’ll let you go.” Kid knew it was an impossible task but that was the point. “Wait,” he stated then, so cold and blank it was almost inhuman, “you can’t.” 

The gunshots that echoed through the hallway then were two, back to back and perfectly aimed. Kid always did have a thing for well placed headshots - he enjoyed the burst of pressurized blood spurting through the hole he created. As the two bodies fell lifeless to the floor Kid straightened up and moved on, hatred in his eyes as he started ripping open bedroom doors.

As Law watched Eustass execute the two men kneeling on the floor, he got the sense that this was a personal thing after all. The redhead wasn’t a good Samaritan so it was unlikely he had heard about the situation and felt duty-bound to right the wrongs these men had committed. That pure hatred and rage in his expression spoke to a personal understanding of the situation. It made the article he’d found make a little more sense.

“Not to interrupt, Eustass,” Law drawled as he leaned against the doorframe of the first room the other captain entered. “But one of the men here has already called the marines. I don’t anticipate it’ll change your plans, but what kind of friend would I be if I didn’t at least give a heads up?”

“I’ll kill them too,” Kid was snappy, keyed up and of a mind to fight with anyone who put themselves in his way tonight. Marine or not, he didn’t give a fuck. If they were going to protect these kind of people, he hoped they all suffered before they died. 

Before Law could reply that it might be difficult to kill Akainu, a door down the hall banged open and a loud voice roared, “Unhand me, you filthy ingrates! Do you know who I am? You’ll hang for this, mark my words!”

Four of Kid’s men were wrangling another unusually large, broad man out into the hallway from the back bedroom. “Boss! This must be the guy! He was trying to shred some stuff at the desk in the bedroom!” One of them called out as the other three struggled and ultimately failed to force the dark haired man to his knees.

Carefully stepping out of the room and around the others, Law slipped into the bedroom they’d come from, curious to get a look at what he may have been shredding before Eustass or his men could burn it in their rage. 

Where his men struggled, Kid had no such issue. The man in question was dripping in gaudy jewelry and as Kid stepped out of the bedroom and into the hallway it was easy enough to yank the target’s wrists and his neck down to the floor via the copious amount of gold hanging from them. That done Kid took a few steps closer, looking down at the man from his substantial vantage point. “I’ll hang for this,” he asked, a manic grin on his face, fingers laced together as he cracked his knuckles, “yeah?”

Rather than having his expression twist into fear, even from his place on the floor, the man glowered up at Kid, shifting his head to try and duck out from under the weight of the chains around his neck, hands twisting to free themselves from the bracelets. “You heard me, brat. Kill me if you want, but Admiral Akainu will kill you next for daring to interfere with his family. You’ll have a hole through more than just your chest once he’s done with you.”

“That was what I was trying to warn you about,” Law called from inside the back bedroom, retrieving the remnants of what appeared to be an accounting ledger from where the pages had fallen to the floor or been torn into pieces, the name ‘Lorenzo Raishan’ printed neatly on the inside cover of the ledger. Knowledge of who was involved in the black market slave trade could be useful with the right people…

“Oh, nice throwback, really…” when Kid laughed again, it was somehow even more unhinged, “but maybe it’s too soon for that.” Kid wasn’t in the mood to play with his food and truth be told, he wasn’t really in the mood to tangle with Akainu either. Before the man at his feet could escape his chains Kid urged the ones at his neck to twist, circling tighter and tighter around the man’s throat until he started choking, gasping for air that wouldn’t come. 

Though it chafed his wrist enough that it bled, the man was able to wrench a hand free. He jerked his arm forward, releasing a small knife from its sheath. Using the momentum, he flung the knife at Kid, grimacing in satisfaction as the magnetic pull released at the exact moment the seastone blade sunk into Kid’s calf. Pushing himself to his feet, he swiftly kicked Wire in the chest as he rushed forward to try and tackle him back down, much more agile than the guard at the door had been. “Please, boys, I’m related to an Admiral, did you think I would be so easy?” he taunted.

Wire flew backward into a second member of the crew and both men slammed into the wall and slumped forward. The remaining two all but jumped on his arms to pull him off balance, but even that only made Lorenzo laugh. He lifted both arms with ease, flexing inward and slamming the two men’s heads together hard enough that they dropped from his arms like dead weight.

“Oh,” the comment came quiet, easy, like Kid was remarking on the weather instead of that rather impressive show of strength or the somewhat glaring knife wound he’d just taken, “so that’s how we’re playing.” That was fine by him. With a roar, Kid reached down and ripped the blade from his skin, hissing between his teeth as the blood started to flow. Had it been a regular knife he would have snapped the handle from it and then left it alone, as it would have inhibited the blood loss but like hell he was leaving seastone embedded in him. 

Chucking the knife back toward the stairwell, Kid considered his own version of first aid complete. That done, Kid barreled forward, shoulder turned in and aimed square for the man’s chest. He knew he wouldn’t hit, knew the fucker would see this attack coming a mile away, but that was the point. He was rather enamored by the idea of choking the man to death with his own necklace and he wanted to see it through. Physical attack launched he resumed working with his power as well, trying to see if he could get the chain tightened around the other man’s throat again before he was smart enough to pull it off. 

Lorenzo didn’t flinch, the other arm jerking down to release another seastone blade. Whip-quick, he snaked his arm forward, aiming for Kid’s shoulder this time. He wouldn’t need to kill him, not with such a small blade, anyway. The goal was to weaken him, just enough to finish him off with something more satisfying. Kid had too much momentum going to stop and avoid the blade entirely and Lorenzo’s expression twisted with wild satisfaction as the blade buried up to the hilt in his bicep.

As a precaution, he quickly pulled the gold chains off his neck, snapping the clasp and sloughing the bracelets off his wrists. “I will admit, you had the element of surprise, but otherwise your advantage ends here, boy.” Lorenzo taunted.

Even before he could finish speaking, the hallway was cast in a soft blue glow. Lorenzo turned, drawing another dagger as he did so. “I know you saw me walk in here. I don’t really appreciate being forgotten,” Law drawled as Lorenzo turned, Kikoku drawn already so that by the time the taller man attempted to fling his blade Law was prepared to slash through the air, simultaneously deflecting it and cleaving his hands off at the wrists. 

“What…? How is this possible?!” Lorenzo roared in disbelief as the swing of the sword hadn’t come near his hands. He lumbered forward to try and get in Law’s space, knowing with such a long blade close-quarters combat would be impossible. Unperturbed, the Supernova simply arced the blade into its sheath and smirked.

“Shambles.” Instantly, Lorenzo’s disembodied head was resting neatly in Law’s outstretched palm. Side-stepping the bulk of the older man’s body, now stumbling directionless down to the end of the hall, Law made his way over to Eustass and held out the head. “Don’t say I never got you anything nice.”

Maybe later he’d be grimacing in pain, but right now it was mostly annoyance showing on his face as Kid wrenched yet another knife from his flesh. He cursed himself a bit for being sloppy but that didn’t last long - he wasn’t known for being careful or cautious and things had turned out fine, so he’d take it. Trafalgar’s interference wasn’t needed - he’d have killed the guy one way or another - but it wasn’t entirely unwelcome either. 

At the end of the day, what needed to get done had gotten done. As the proffered gift was held out to him, Kid took it with a quiet chuckle, holding it by the chin and using the hair to mop of some of the blood on his arm and shin. This was still disquieting to him, the freaky way Trafalgar disassembled people, but Kid kept that fact to himself. Looking down at the head in his hands he fell quiet for a moment, contemplating, then looked back up at the other supernova, “I’m gonna set it on fire.”

“I’d bring marshmallows if we had the time,” Law replied with a little smirk. He’d already bundled up the ledger and a few other documents he’d found in a locked drawer in the desk. “You’re going to need stitches, by the way. Those look deep,” he added casually before crouching down beside the four fallen members of Eustass’ crew, assessing them briefly. 

“I’ll manage,” Kid sounded mildly disinterested in the conversation at this point, focused as he was on pulling a sconce from the wall and getting at the candle lit inside it. With a grin he held it in front of his captive’s face, letting it singe the tip of his nose for a second before he spoke, “What was that about holes in chests? How about melting face flesh instead?” Setting the candle on the floor, Kid then dropped the head beside it, smirking as the flames leapt into the dry, bloody hair almost immediately. 

That done and with no concern for what happened after, Kid turned to his men and shooed Trafalgar away almost immediately, “We don’t need your help.” Yeah, they were a little battered and bruised, but they’d all be fine in the end. He had their medic and he’d ensure his own damn crew was tended to - he didn’t need Trafalgar’s unsolicited advice or assistance. 

For his part, Lorenzo did not beg after his defeat. He’d remained stoically silent, focused on trying to make his body tackle one of the two pirates in the hallway with no luck. Even the initial lick of flame to his nose hadn’t been enough to break his silence, but as Kid and Law turned their backs to him after his hair had caught, he finally broke and pained screams filled the previously empty house.

The bloodcurdling sound of Lorenzo’s dying wails was enough to rouse three of the four dazed members of the Kid Pirates. The one who’d been crushed between Wire and the wall was unconscious and at least concussed, but the two nearest him hauled him up and looked to Kid. “What now, boss?” 

“Sweep the place up here, make sure none of them are left alive, then we get the captives out and we set the fucking house on fire.” Gesturing to the screaming disembodied head behind them, Kid gave a casual shrug, “We should probably hurry. Flaming Harry over there might do it for us.” The pain in his leg was really starting to set in but he pushed through, determined to ignore it - they had work to finish. 

Watching over everyone as his men finished inspecting the top floor, Kid gave a satisfactory nod as they only found two more gang members to deal with - it was easy enough for Kid to bade them killed. That done, he escorted the two children and one woman they’d found in the bedrooms downstairs while Wire carried their still unconscious crew member along with them, casually tossed over one shoulder.

The stairs were hard, causing him to wince every time he put weight on that leg, but he did his best to keep it hidden. They weren’t done yet and apparently the Marines were on their way. They still had shit to do, but they needed to get it done fast. He wanted to get back to his ship and get out of here tonight.


	7. Fuck You, Akainu

Descending the stairs with his motley collection of associates - crew members, captives, and one Trafalgar Law - Kid kept his focus on hiding signs of his injury and assessing what had been going on in his absence. Though he distinctly remembered ordering his men to get the other women and children out of the house he begrudgingly admitted that Killer made the right call when he saw them all loosely collected in one corner, quiet as the pirates worked to remove manacles, clean smudged or bloodied faces, and do what they could to patch or replace torn clothes. 

With the house in imminent danger of burning down Kid wasn’t that inspired to linger any longer though. Approaching the group at large he stayed calm as he paused about ten feet away, kneeling down to scoop one of the kids that had been walking with him into his arms. Soothing the boy by gently bouncing him as he spoke, Kid looked to his second in command, “The screaming is coming from a severed head I set on fire and the Marines are coming. You ready to finally fucking bounce, Mr. Nanny?” 

Though the words could be taken as a jibe, Killer knew they weren’t. It was evident in how Kid held that little boy, the careful way he angled him to make sure that the spikes on his shoulders wouldn’t catch at his skin. It was obvious in how gentle and soft his tone was as he addressed the rest of them, continuing to kneel on the floor to seem less imposing as he asked them if they wanted to go somewhere better. 

Killer remembered, then, something Kid had told him years and years ago - ‘Never ask me if I want to go somewhere more fun.’ He hadn’t made the connection back then, just frowned a little and murmured confused assent, but something made it click now. Why did he have a sick feeling these kids had been told this place would be “more fun” than wherever they’d been before? Fuck. 

Nodding in return Killer started calling out orders, calm and measured in his movement to avoid spooking anyone. At minimum, they needed to get everyone out and to the safehouse they’d previously established to reassess; getting mixed up with the Marines right now would be a mess. It was a short while later he had a child in each arm and two clinging to his back, grinning under his mask as followed his Captain out of the house, watching him weighed down with the same burden. 

Law watched from the back of the room as Eustass easily soothed the terrified former slaves they had so brashly rescued. It seemed so effortless, the way he knew exactly what to say, body language open and trustworthy in spite of the gun strapped across his chest and the spikes curving over either shoulder. 

Children who had been cowering under tables crawled out one by one and though the redhead’s voice was too soft for him to hear from across the room Law watched as the group slowly calmed and several nodded in understanding. They were still frightened, but somehow in a matter of minutes, one of the most notorious pirates of his generation had earned enough trust from these people that they followed him from the house with very little hesitation.

Women walked in neat pairs, some corralling children while others held on to each other, and the Kid pirates staggered themselves down the line as they headed out to keep watch over everyone as they moved. Law was impressed by the display, so much so that he lingered in the house for a few moments as they left, just watching the last few as they stepped out into the darkened alley toward freedom.

It didn’t take a genius to understand that Eustass had a personal stake in this. 

Law’s thoughts were interrupted by the feeling of tiny fingers curling around the palm of his hand, tugging weakly to get his attention. He looked down at the little girl he hadn’t noticed before and nodded once, stepping away from the wall he’d been leaning on as he let her walk beside him with her tiny hand curled in the fabric of his coat. 

Unlike Eustass, he didn’t have an easy way with traumatized children; having been one himself didn’t seem to give him much inspiration so he didn’t bother trying to talk to her. They followed along behind, Law’s eyes scanning their surroundings for any danger as he shepherded the little girl to another house several blocks away.

This was the second most complicated part of the whole operation and Kid was a little edgy as they walked past the quickly growing number of nosy neighbors peering out their windows - the most complicated thing of all was going to be getting them somewhere safe in the long term. But they weren’t there yet and Kid had other things to focus on, surrounded by the beaten and battered as he was. It wasn’t until the last of them slid into the darkened room of the safehouse that he let out a breath, though he was a bit surprised to see Trafalgar following along even here. 

Whatever. He could do what he wanted as long as he stayed out of the way. With everyone safe for the time being Kid bade the doors shut and guards set, gently shedding the children from his arms and back before standing to full height again. Surveying the crowd he grunted softly, looking over their numbers. There were a lot of them, more than he had initially anticipated, and the number of kids in total had his stomach roiling. What the hell was he going to do from here? Leaving them on Rocky Port hardly seemed an option.

Maybe he could help them get back to old homes, if old homes were a place they wanted to go. Finding Killer, Kid briefly discussed his plans - he’d have his second talk to the women as a group, see what they needed, if they had places to return to, what could be done for them. He’d take the children himself. That done, Kid snagged Heat’s help in corralling all the young ones into a somewhat tidy corner so they could hear him. 

It was then that he finally, for the first time since they’d left the ship, sat down that night. His leg was throbbing but there was nothing to be done for it - his arm stung a little, but he noticed it less. Settling in cross legged in front of the kids, Kid flashed them a small smile and kept his posture open and unthreatening as he spoke, “I gotta get you guys somewhere safe and I gotta do it quick, but that’s gonna be hard. Does anybody have family they miss?”

Even after they arrived at the safehouse, the little girl refused to let go of Law’s coat. Rude bastard or not, he couldn’t in good conscience just shake her off so he settled for sitting on the floor opposite Eustass so she could be with the other children. For a moment he remembered what it was like to be ten years old again, turning to a notorious pirate crew for help and guidance. Funny how such a similar situation felt so different now.

A few of the children murmured in response to the redhead’s question, some glancing back at the women on the other side of the room and explaining they were related, some despondently shaking their heads. Some were probably too young to know where they were even from to begin with.

Kid listened with a calm kind of patient grace that looked unusual on his frame, nodding and soothing the children as needed until he had a general idea of each of their responses. To those that had cast longing glances toward the women on the other side of the room he told them to go, to find their mom or aunt or whatever, to be where they felt most safe. To the rest of them he sighed softly, rubbing his face in his palm once before speaking again, “We’ll figure the rest of you out.”

As Eustass turned to murmur something to Wire, one of the younger children scooted forward and helped herself to the captain’s lap, running the palms of her hands over the matted fur of his jacket. Law guessed she was about seven years old, but he was very familiar with how being undernourished kept a child from looking their age. At thirteen, he’d barely looked nine himself. Eustass looked back down at her when her weight settled against him and she reached up toward the goggles perched on his forehead, her expression hopeful. 

Turning to blink owlishly down at the little girl suddenly curled in his lap, Kid was instantly caught by the eager look on her face. With a soft sigh and gentle roll of his shoulders he tilted his head down, giving her easy access to the goggles strapped across his forehead. They were nice and he had spent a fair amount of time creating the perfect pair but it was unlikely she’d damage them in any way. 

The hopeful expression on the girl’s face melted into a tiny smile as she slowly pulled the strap of the goggles free from Eustass’ hair. If the situation was anything other than what it was, Law would never let his rival live down his softness for women and children. He had to wonder how much of the reputation for cruelty and harming citizens the Kid Pirates had came from situations like this. How many lost children had they spirited away from slavery and abuse? 

Eustass had been brash and fearless and abrasive in all their previous encounters and Law would never have suspected such a humanitarian was hiding beneath that ungodly coat he wore. It made his presence at the human auction house in Sabaody a little more understandable. 

One of the boys in the group, older than the rest but still just a child, finally spoke up as he watched Eustrass with distrust written across his features. “So what are you gonna do with us now?”

At that Kid looked up, taking the goggles from the girl briefly only to settle them over her forehead instead before responding, “Good damn question, kid. That’s what I’m trying to figure out.” It had been simpler when he thought their number would be less. This group was at least a dozen and a half larger than they anticipated… but no matter how he wracked his brain he legitimately couldn’t think of any possible option other than the one they’d already settled on, “Figure you’ll all come back to my ship, we’ll fuck off to the next island so we get some distance, then we’ll try to find some decent people to send you off with.” 

It wasn’t the perfect plan and he was fairly certain one or two of them would fall back into abusive hands before they made it somewhere safe and permanent. But it was what they’d done previously and it was all he could do - he didn’t have the time, the ability, or the log poses necessary to take each of them home individually. Hell, not even all of them had homes worth returning to, of that he was certain.

But he would do what he could, which is get them out of here and to a place with a better potential. He’d figured his own shit out as a young teenager… these kids weren’t that old but he’d try to guide them as best he could. With another sigh Kid turned his attention back to the small girl in his lap, chuckling a little as he watched the goggles lose their grip on her hair and slide slowly down her face in starts and stops, something like a snail across a log. 

“Yeah, and what do you want for it?” the boy challenged again, arms crossed. He was dirty, nose twisted in a way that Law was certain meant it’d been broken at least twice. The clothes he wore barely fit him, baggy and too big on his frame, pants only staying up due to his wide stance. He was looking Eustass in the eyes, too, which meant he was trying to prove he wasn’t afraid. 

Kid laughed then, big and brash and easy. “I got what I wanted,” he commented, absently helping the little girl adjust the strap on his goggles so they would stay upright for her as he continued, “I bashed some faces in, stole some shit, and set a house on fire. Great night, wasn’t it Killer?” Tilting his head back, Kid looked over his shoulder and waited for his second to respond. 

Killer just nodded once, hands behind his back, staying still while the boy assessed him so he wouldn’t appear to be a threat. His mistrust still obvious, the boy then scoffed, “Yeah right. You’re just trying to make us all like you so we won’t try to run away or cause trouble.” In spite of his assertions, the boy sat down again, no longer looking Eustass in the eye. Whatever fight he may have had in him had been doused by repeated abuse; that was probably the reason his nose had been broken multiple times. 

“Redhead too, huh,” Kid’s change in topic seemed abrupt, but his attention was still rapt on the boy, focus tight and intense, “they like to use that as an excuse, don’t they?” Part of him was distantly aware he didn’t really want Trafalgar overhearing this conversation but fuck him, it was none of his business either way and it’s not like Kid asked him to come along. He could keep any questions it raised to his damn self. 

“Knock us around then say it’s our fault ‘cause we’re too fiery,” if he could get the boy to understand, Kid thought he could put him at ease. He wanted that for all of them, if he could get it, “that’s what happened to your nose, yeah?” Shifting then, Kid shrugged his arm out of his jacket, showing the boy a few old, scarred and faded welts that seemed to come up from his back to wrap over the top of his shoulder, still a jagged, puckered pink even after all the years, “I get it.” 

Sniffing, the boy turned away, but only after getting a good look at the marks Eustass had bared. He hugged his knees and stared pointedly at the wall. “That doesn’t mean you’re not one of them,” he muttered, though the lines of tension in his body were abating.

They were nowhere near close enough for Law to feel comfortable knowing any of this. Pressing a finger to his lips, he lifted the girl who had still not released him up into his arms and returned to the circle of women standing far enough away that it gave Eustass enough privacy to finish his conversation with the boy. Glancing down at the girl clinging to his waist, Law sighed. “You have a name, kid?”

“I wouldn’t believe me either, if I were you,” Kid’s voice grew distant as Trafalgar walked away. He’d never admit it aloud, but he was grateful. This wasn’t something he wanted the whole world knowing, “Smart kid. Adults are stupid. ” Voice fading into just another soft murmur amongst all the others in the room, Kid kept his patience, doing his best to talk each of the children through their next steps. 

Warm in Law’s arms, the little girl was starting to feel a bit more safe. She finally responded to him in one way or another, nodding a little at his question. Eyes wide she turned her face back down then, as though just that small interaction had her scared again, and buried her face into the soft fabric of his shirt.

“Okay…” Law murmured awkwardly, patting at her shoulder and glancing at the women who seemed to recoil from him. How was he the scary one here when all of Eustass’ crew looked like demon worshipping hellions? “Do you want to tell me what it is?” he tried again, a little annoyed at Eustass for making this look so easy. “...my name is Law,” he added, trying to make it more of an even exchange.

All was quiet from the little face hidden against his chest for another few moments before the tiniest, softest little voice finally reached his ears, “... Lily…” While she hadn’t pulled her face back yet her grip on him tightened, clearly telegraphing that she didn’t want him to put her down, “... With an L, like you…”

The muffled response gave him tunnel vision for a split second. Lily wasn’t that far off from Lamy and the only sign anything was wrong was the slight wobble in his posture before Law straightened with a nod. “Ok, Lily with an L,” he said, going for teasing because that was what he was used to. “Do you have somewhere you want to go?” 

Lily shook her head then, wild and sharp in a panic, hands suddenly digging into his shirt so sharply he could feel her nails through the fabric, “N-no, don’t leave!” She had gone from uncertain to frantic in a split second, eyes wide with fear - the trembling in her body could be felt from scalp to ankle. 

Well, shit. Why had this little girl clung to him of all people? Law didn’t know how to be around children; even as a child himself, he’d been serious. He’d always had to be coaxed into playing like a normal kid, either by his parents or his sister. “I’m… I’m not,” he said, trying to sound reassuring. “We’re just trying to figure out the safest place for everyone.”

At his first words she seemed to calm somewhat, the trembling slowing as she came to understand the reason for his question. There was another markedly notable period of silence then, the tension surrounding her obvious before she spoke, “... No safe place.”

“...that’s ok. Do you have parents?” Law hoped Eustass had a plan, a good place for all these kids. There was no way he could take a little girl back with him. Ikkaku might be happy about not being the only female member of the crew, but that wasn’t a good enough reason to bring a child on board with no future plans.

That question seemed to give the little girl pause, though for what reason it was hard to determine, at least at first. But then the tears came and her words were hard to make out between them, though the gist of it became clear soon enough. She’d had parents, but they were dead now, killed in the same attack that had taken her away. 

Law repeated the awkward pat to her shoulder from before though this time it quickly turned into small soothing circles against her back. He remembered Corazon doing the same for him after an outburst when the seventh hospital refused to see him. “It’s ok, Lily. I don’t have parents either. You can make a new family, though.” He didn’t know if he was helping, but he’d been aware that this was the direction Eustass was going with the others so he did what he could to help this little girl the same way the redhead helped the others.

The soothing, repetitive motion of his hand did far more to lull Lily into a sense of calm and stability than anything else. Eventually she nodded softly to his words, so delayed it seemed almost unconnected. She was young and traumatized and still didn’t fully understand everything that had happened to her since she was taken from her home in the middle of the night some unknown number of months ago. Law was the first person to touch her that was gentle about it, that didn’t yell when she cried, and she needed that more than anything.

Glancing back over to Eustass and seeing that he didn’t appear to be in the middle of retelling his history, Law made his way back over to the other captain. “Do you have a plan? The streets will be crawling with marines soon if they aren’t already and they won’t stop to ask if you’re taking all these people with you willingly.” Law had his own plan but he’d stepped on Eustass’ toes enough tonight; he wanted to see what the other man had in mind before he shared his own ideas.

Trafalgar’s approach had startled him - Kid had been so focused on soothing the kids and gaining their trust that he hadn’t heard the other man approach. Shrugging his coat back onto his shoulder almost defensively Kid nodded brusquely, ensuring his face was nothing but a mask of indifference when he tilted his head back to look at the other man, “Yeah. I’m taking them back to my ship unless they live here and we’re bailing on this fucking place tonight.”

He’d sort it out at the next island, pay the coin it took to get decent merchants to get those who had homes back to them, find a decent convent or orphanage for the rest, give the women some money for the necessities needed to get back on their feet. He couldn’t care for any of them beyond that, but at least a chance was better than leaving them all to rot as slaves. 

Law nodded; that fit well with his own idea. “I’ll handle the marines, then,” he stated simply. Given that the headless man whose body they would surely find once they put out the flames was Akainu’s own family, Law knew that the military turnout would be high. Eustass and his crew needed to get back to the ship before it was found. “You should split everyone up into groups and have one or two of your men lead them back to the ship through different routes. A big group would be seen too easily,” he suggested.

The click of Kid’s tongue that came immediately on the heels of Trafalgar’s suggestion made it clear just how much the redhead appreciated the other captain’s input on his plans, “This isn’t my first go round, Trafalgar. I know what I’m doing.” Time was of the essence and everyone finally seemed calm - if there was ever a time to move, it was now. 

Rising to his feet, Kid kept the little girl - her name was Sylvanas, he’d learned - in his arms as he turned to his men again, giving quick, concise orders that showed just how obviously this was a routine act for them. Between himself, Killer, Heat, and Wire they had the collective group split up in no time, each a mix of crew members, women, and children. Kid’s men either picked up children or supported the women who needed it, ensuring that their travels would be quick. 

Once his men were assembled and everyone was ready, Kid looked down at Sylvanas with a soft smile, sliding his goggles down from her forehead until they rested over her eyes - while they were far too large for her face, sticking out over either side of her ears, he’d tightened the strap well enough that they stayed in place. “Keep an eye out for anybody that might get in our way, got it? You gotta help me protect everyone,” she’d been brave, coming to plop herself in his lap. He had a feeling she’d take the order with pride. 

That done his focus shifted to Trafalgar, however briefly, “The marines fuck you up, that’s your issue, not mine. I didn’t ask for your help.” He wanted to make it crystal clear that this didn’t change anything between them, “I don’t owe you shit.” 

Law felt himself smirk crookedly and he nodded in agreement. “You’re doing me a favor, actually. I’ve been too quiet lately.” With that they were on the same page and Law looked down at Lily. “Lily, I have to go now. This is Eustass; he’s the one who saved you and everyone else here. I just helped a little. He’ll make sure you stay safe,” Law explained, hoping he wouldn’t lose time trying to convince the child to let him go. 

A soft whimper escaped Lily then as Law tried to hand her over to Eustass. At first she resisted, clinging fiercely to her savior, but when Sylvanas reached out and gently tugged at her sleeve in a quiet request to come join her, Lily finally relented and allowed Eustass to pull her snugly against him, tucked into the crook of his other arm. 

That done Kid looked to Trafalgar once more, eyes narrowed in thought as he mulled over whether or not he had anything else to say. Finally deciding he didn’t, Kid turned on his heel and headed for the door, taking the vanguard position as Killer brought up the rear - their usual arrangement in situations like this. Everyone ready, Kid called out the order for them to haul ass and so they did, using the cover of darkness and the distraction of a house now royally on fire to begin the meandering, dangerous journey back to their ship. 

Law felt his arm raise on its own accord, waving slightly as Lily stared back at him over the other man’s shoulder before Eustass disappeared outside. No one would ever believe two Supernovas had risked their lives and reputations to save a group of enslaved women and children. Law scarcely believed he’d been a part of it, either. He would have to process that back on his own ship; he just hoped whoever was on watch tonight saw Eustass’ crew leaving in a hurry and had the foresight to slip below the surface while they waited for him. The redhead didn’t owe him anything, after all, and that included warning his own crew of what was coming. 

It would be dangerous to wait much longer, so Law re-entered the street he’d just come from, catching a glimpse of Killer’s long hair disappearing around a corner to his left. In the blink of an eye, with only the telltale soft blue glow to give him away, Law was on the rooftops again, jumping from one to another until he was across the street from the inferno they’d left behind, surveying the marines already assembled. Some were working to put out the fire, some were cordoning off the area, still others questioning neighbors and potential witnesses. Law settled in to study them then, working to find the best area of opportunity for attack. 

As far as Kid was concerned, the Marines could go fuck themselves. His journey back to the ship was tense and twice he’d had to swing Sylvanas up on to his shoulder so he could free up a hand and use it to crush some reconnaissance soldiers that had gotten a little too close for comfort. But in the end they made it back to the ship whole and alive, though he was really going to need a long nap and someone to treat his stab wounds before he got much closer to passing out. Handing his burden over to his men, Kid shepherded them all into the safety of the hold before turning to look at that stupid yellow submarine practically glowing in the fucking moonlight.

“Dive, you fucking idiots,” he did his best to pitch his voice low, make it just loud enough to reach the Polar Tang but not so loud it would echo across the water. He didn’t need Trafalgar’s vessel serving as a beacon and calling attention to this cove, not while they were in the most vulnerable position of the whole night. His gangplank was only so wide and the people they rescued could only move so fast. 

As he waited on land for the remaining two groups to arrive - Heat and company had actually made it there ahead of him - Kid couldn’t help but wonder what the scene looked like back at the house they’d left. He understood that to a certain extent Flaming Harry wasn’t the most efficient or effective way to set a house on fire, but damn if he didn’t hope the whole thing burned to a crisp. 

His imagining of the Marines running around trying to douse the flames, superiors calling orders from a distance, was pretty on point. That seemed to be the main focus right now - they couldn’t get inside the house until the fire was out. He would have truly enjoyed hearing the panicked back and forth between one Marine lieutenant and his Captain, “What if something happened to Mr. Raishan? The Admiral will have our heads on a pike!”

Law wasn’t going to let this get so out of hand that he stuck around for Akainu himself to make an appearance, but why not have fun at the Marines expense for a little while? Careful to keep the glow of his Room concealed by the flickering of the fire, Law scanned the men below him and relieved them of their transponder snails. From there, he picked out a finger-sized piece of burning wood and shifted it to rest on the Captain’s shoulder. He grinned as the white fabric smoked then peeled open, blackening the garment immediately as the man yelped and slapped at his arm to put himself out.

At seeing his CO spontaneously combust, the lieutenant lost his head - so to speak. Yelping he snatched a bucket of water from one of the privates scurrying to douse the flames, throwing the whole thing over the captain. Well it successfully put out the fire, it also left his boss soaking went from hair to hindquarters and in retrospect the angry look being shot his way made him think maybe that hadn’t been such a good idea, “... you’re not on fire any more, Captain…?”

Snorting in amusement, Law shifted back so he wasn’t immediately in anyone’s line of sight. He could hear the chatter over the snails spread out over the rooftop. It didn’t sound like anyone suspected any pirate involvement and the witnesses they’d questioned hadn’t seen much in the way of details that could pinpoint himself or Eustass. At least that meant they should have time to get out. 

Law waited five minutes to give the escapees a head start before he moved from the rooftop to the street far enough away that he was only just visible in the circle of firelight from the building, not bothering to hide the glow from his power. Kikoku was already drawn, but he held it at his side, calm as he looked over the assembled Marines. “Admiring my handiwork?” 

In that instant, all hell broke loose. Those Marines closest to Law started to charge him immediately, weapons drawn, hooting and hollering like they were the pirates and Law was the one who was supposed to be reserved and professional. It clearly marked them as the low ranking infantrymen they were. Meanwhile, the sopping wet captain and his hapless lieutenant were trying to corral order, demanding to see who had spoken. Sure, it was a Marine town but this group certainly wasn’t the poster child for Marine discipline.

This wasn’t a surprising reaction and Law had positioned himself with the burning building between them for a reason. Mouth curled into a grim smile, he slashed through the air with his sword, bisecting the crumbling inferno and spilling it into the street between himself and the onslaught of enemies. Some were caught up in the burning wreckage but most were trapped on the other side. There would be marines to the side and behind him eventually, but for now at least within the radius of his Room, Law knew he was safe. “Oops. Hand slipped,” he mocked insolently. 

“You little -” the rest of the comment was lost as a flaming chunk of burning building shifted, crushing the (likely) rude Marine under the rubble. It took a few minutes but eventually Law saw the captain come into view, moving carefully but quickly around the fire. He looked like a cat after someone forced a bath on it - miserable, annoyed, and scrunched up. 

Yet the moment he saw Law’s face and the weapon in his hand he was at least smart enough to immediately put it all together, “Oh no, no no… this is bad!” Immediately he took a step back, calling out orders, sharp and terse, “Call Admiral Akainu, right now! We need him here now, tell him it’s one of the Worst Generation, tell him it’s Trafalgar Law!” He was shouting, trying to ensure the order was heard by everyone possible, trying to hold out until their leader could arrive, “Men, surround him, keep your distance, guns drawn. Corral him until the Admiral gets here!”

In spite of the threat, Law remained still, smirk widening as he watched the marines reach for their transponder snails only to find they were gone. “Sticky fingers tonight, I guess,” he called out, continuing to mock the gathered marines. The snails on the rooftop were out of sight and out of reach. They’d have to send a runner to someone outside of Law’s range, if they could manage it. 

At least this captain was brave enough to avoid putting complete shame to the title. Shaking his head he dispatched a handful of runners, knowing better than to rely on just one, before turning his attention back to Law, “Mock us all you like, we know we stand on the right side of this fight. The admiral will be here soon!”

Before the Captain even finished speaking, Law had switched places with him, another slash through the air with Kikoku cutting the men he’d dispatched as runners in half at the waist. There wasn’t enough time to rearrange their bodies, but it was at least entertaining to watch a few of them try to balance on their hands to run along that way. 

“All men, go!” the order came sharp and terse, the captain at a loss at how to defeat Law except with sheer numbers. He turned then, determined to be one of the runners himself. No sense in pretending they were strong enough to hold Trafalgar Law here on their own. The primary objective was to alert the Admiral. How could they have lost their snails like this? 

Not one to just stand around and let himself be taken, Law retreated back to the rooftop, following the Captain as he moved from building to building, not bothering to keep himself hidden. He was certain there would be devil fruit users with this group of marines somewhere; it made sense they weren’t called out to handle a simple fire when they weren’t sure of it’s cause. Knowing he was here, though? They’d come out to play for that. 

He might have stumbled once or twice, but in the end the captain managed to burst into a nearby home and snatch their transponder snail from where it sat perched on a table. Quickly dialing the base he relayed the situation with terse, short sentences, demanding that the admiral come quickly. Once he’d finally received confirmation that the message would be passed on he allowed himself to sink down onto the floor, grateful to have made the call and still have his body all in one piece, “... what a mess…”

Law really only needed to buy enough time for Eustass to leave and to cause enough of a scene that the whole mess was blamed on him. As fun as it was to mess with the marines, it was time to move on. Aborting his chase, Law allowed the Captain to call Akainu, returning to the scene of the fire. The sphere of his Room told him that the houses on either side of the burning one had been evacuated, so he didn’t feel bad spreading the fire to the neighbors. Two young looking marines were helping those who had been cut in half, trying to match torsos with legs. One pair was running into a wall. Law snorted in amusement. 

The spreading fire took up the attention of a good number of the gathered marines and it had caused enough confusion that Law could be confident he had bought enough time for Eustass to leave safely. He’d made enough of a mess for now and this wasn’t planned out well enough for him to feel comfortable tangling with the devil fruit users that were bound to be headed this way. 

Law didn’t call Bepo until he was far enough away from the firestorm he’d started that he could be relatively certain he wasn’t being followed. The Mink sounded frantic when he answered and demanded to know where his captain was. “Calm down, Bepo. I’m on my way back. Bring the ship up to that little peninsula we talked about as a rendezvous. I’ll meet you there.”

“On your way back from where, Captain?” the Mink wasn’t just frantic, though that was the most obvious emotion he was expressing currently. He was worried sick about Law and that made him terse, “Where did you run off to without telling any of us!?” When Eustass had ordered their lookout to dive the man in question had roused his superiors when he couldn’t locate their captain to confirm and in moments a tense, barely controlled panic had broken out among the crew. 

“Just for a walk,” Law explained in a bored tone. Really, he hadn’t done that much. He’d seen a hell of a lot but other than soothing a terrified little girl and publicly taking credit for the mess Eustass had made, he hadn’t personally done much he considered interesting. “There were some… fireworks. I’ll tell you all about it when I’m back on board.”

Bepo’s tone showed he clearly wasn’t placated by that explanation, grunting once before demanding more information, “How long until that happens?” He knew his Captain was lying, though he wouldn’t be so bold as to accuse him using those actual words, “Our lookout saw the Kid Pirates coming back with this big group of people and set sail as quick as the winds would take them, I know you’re out for more than just a walk.”

“That’s their business,” Law replied, having reached the outskirts of the city. The back roads brought him to a small wooden fence with two worn dirt tracks leading out into the fields. There wasn’t much for cover and he couldn’t focus properly on using his power to propel himself forward when he was also trying to have a conversation. “I’ll tell you all about it on the ship. Don’t keep me waiting.” With that, he ended the call, tucking the transponder snail and the white snail attached to it back into his jacket pocket.

Moving himself through the constant use of his power wasn’t as draining as it used to be but it still made him tired. By the time he reached what he referred to as the peninsula - really just a tiny finger-like protrusion that was more sand bar than actual land - Law could see the periscope of his sub peering up through the surface of the water. Waving sarcastically at it, Law walked out onto the narrow strip of land to meet the rest of his crew, water soaking up against the soles of his boots. As if he wasn’t already tired enough…


	8. A Ritual

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas to you all! We both appreciate everyone who has taken the time to comment, leave kudos, or even just read this fic of ours. 
> 
> There are no real warnings for this chapter, just our rough boys starting to soften up a little bit around each other. We'll be back to the regularly scheduled ruthlessness soon enough!
> 
> While we try to update at least once a week, we are heading out of town for the holidays on Friday so there probably won't be another chapter for about two weeks. We promise to make it worth the wait. ;)

Law’s promise to tell Bepo all about what happened was only half-heartedly kept. He’d seen a few interesting names in the accounting ledger that he stole and he wanted time to properly read through his ill-gotten files. The Mink was insistent, though, so Law mentioned the raid on the house led by Eustass and the fire that followed. Of course it called attention to the Marines, so that was why they needed to leave so quickly.

In the end, it had been his decision to follow Eustass. It had nothing to do with the crew and it all turned out well so Law didn’t see much of a reason to get them more involved. Bepo knew him well enough to know he was holding back, but gave up when the captain retreated to his cabin. 

Lighting the oil lamp on his desk, Law dug through his pockets and laid the files out. Some of the edges had crumbled into ash from where Lorenzo had tried to burn the evidence of his associates but most of what he’d salvaged was still legible. Eustass’ crew had butchered through the gathering too quickly for Lorenzo to cover his tracks properly. 

Lorenzo Raishan’s usual customers were about what Law expected. Human traffickers known to sell at Sabaody and other black market human auction houses. Rich merchants. Some high-ranking marines. It was the pirate crew he found that Law was most interested in. It was always the same crew, probably trafficking for the black market directly rather than just for sale at auction houses. On top of being used for abhorrent sexual practices children also seemed to be popular guinea pigs for scientists and doctors testing new theories. More resilient, apparently.

The Calico Pirates were a decent sized crew, known in the New World but not necessarily feared. They kept to themselves and the shadows, and now Law could see why. It wouldn’t do them any good to go around making a lot of noise when they were already being well paid to shuttle captives wherever Lorenzo directed. Thanks to his habit of keeping his ears open for any and all gossip, Law was pretty sure he knew where they usually holed up while they waited for orders and now he had enough information on Lorenzo and the rest of his associates to have a solid plan for gathering them all together. 

With a crew of 87 and other known associates, Law was pretty confident he’d be able to wrangle up 100 hearts. An impressive enough feat for Shichibukai, and a crew he wouldn’t feel any remorse for turning over to the government. One of his many plans was finally clicking into place. 

\--

Once they got sails to the wind and made it out of the cove Kid finally relaxed, sinking into a chair on deck and letting the ship’s doctor take a look at his wounds. Ignoring the displeased exclamations coming from around his knee - yeah yeah, stitches and recovery time, whatever, he’d be fine - he let a few hours pass in what approximated for silence, getting some food in his belly after he’d been treated. 

Half asleep in the chair, Kid grunted softly and jerked upright as Sylvanas somehow found her way into his lap again. Looking down at her with a mildly curious expression on his face Kid waited to see if the little girl had something to say - apparently, that gaze was the only permission she needed because boy, did she take it and run, “Thanks for the food! I had a pancake, it’s good! Did you eat? You were bleeding, did they fix it? It’s nice here. I like it, it’s clean. Boats are nice when I get to be on deck! Sprout is really nice, I like her, she’s my friend. I’m tired.”

Grunting again, Kid kept a lazy eye on her as he tried to keep up. For someone who was tired she certainly had plenty of energy to talk. There were too many different threads in her rambling for him to address them all so he went with the last couple he remembered, speaking as he pushed himself out of the chair and pulled her up into his arms, “Yeah? I’m glad you like Sprout. If you’re tired you should be in bed.”

And so it went, Kid helping his crew get everyone billeted somewhere for the night. It took quite a while to reach the next island but Kid took it in stride, using the time to make sure things would go smoothly once they did make landfall. It took a few days of consistent repeating but by the end of it he was fairly certain the kids and women both understood the point he was making and would stick to it - he wasn’t their savior, he didn’t do it from the goodness of his heart, and he didn’t want them naming him as the one who did it. 

He had a reputation to keep, after all. Not that he shared this last bit aloud, but as he looked over the group of too-skinny women interspersed with the children he just shook his head. In a way, they were lucky. If the party had involved just them and not the kids as well, he would have walked by without a passing glance. There were too many women in this world in their previous position to try to save them all. … At the end of the day there were probably too many kids in the same situation, but like hell he wouldn’t at least try for them.

When they eventually made landfall again it was with quick efficiency that the Kid Pirates saw the newly freed slaves off to the next part of their journey. Kid would have personally delivered the kids to the local convent himself but he was too distinct, too memorable. So too were Killer, Heat, and Wire. So he said goodbye to Sylvanas and the others on the ship, petting her hair soothingly as she cried. It came as second nature to tap the goggles he’d left dangling around her neck and softly remind her that a captain didn’t cry. 

And so she left him with a bright - albeit teary - smile, her eyes shimmering behind the lenses. He sent them all off with a little wave, running his free hand through unencumbered hair. He’d have to find a new pair while they were on this island; they kept the mess on the top of his head out of his face. 

Having left shortly after, Law arrived at the next island the same day Eustass did. Lost in his thoughts regarding his decision to put his plan in motion, he paid little attention to the familiar ship docked nearby. This island was larger and somewhat friendlier to pirates but Law was still careful to keep his distance from the main port.

This particular island was a summer island, known for its exotic fruit and thus did plenty of trade throughout the Grand Line. Being so close to Rocky Port and a marine base also meant it was relatively safe as a vacation spot, which it’s balmy weather and open beaches made all the more attractive. That wasn’t why Law was in a hurry to make it into the heart of the city, however; this was the first island he’s come across likely to have Eternal Poses to islands in the New World. 

It felt good to have a solid plan in place after years of contingencies and careful thought. The timing could be better though; Law wanted to be able to celebrate but it was That Time of year again so his mood was even lower than usual. He scouted out the vendors carrying Eternal Poses, asked around to make sure they were legitimate (fakes were incredibly common and incredibly annoying), then retreated to the usual back alleys in search of the local black market. Law didn’t really like to commit to buying anything until he was sure it was the best choice. Funny coming from a guy who was pretty careless with the rest of his life.

Even though it was a normal first day at a new island, Law still felt like something was off. He was too restless to stop at bars to eavesdrop on gossip, and his mind was preoccupied enough that attempting to navigate his usual interactions with anyone at a brothel or gambling den was out of the question. It wasn’t until he came across a vendor selling stacks of hay and tinder that he felt any sort of calm. He wouldn’t call it divine intervention, but it did feel a little like the universe was acknowledging the itch under his skin and giving him an outlet. 

Whatever. It was a stupid tradition but if it would help clear his head he might as well indulge. 

Quietly, Law bought enough hay and tinder for four small fires and admitted defeat; he was far too distracted for any of his usual first-day preparations and he’d at least accomplished his research on where to get an Eternal Pose. 

The Polar Tang had arrived midday, and by the time Law returned to it dusk was settling in. He could hear the raucous cries of vacationers down the beach closer to the main port, reveling at their own bonfires. There were even a few whose warm glow he could see if he focused hard enough. Law wasn’t interested in all that, though, expression far too grim for revelry. 

Ikkaku was standing at the railing of the ship, watching a few other members of the crew playing cards. Noticing him, they all waved, but when she realized what Law was carrying she shushed them and complained they were taking too long to deal her in. At least he could count on her to remember to give him space while he did this.

It wasn’t that Law considered himself religious. Quite the opposite, in fact, and he was sure several of his childhood teachers would be disappointed about it. They were all dead, though, so their opinion really didn’t matter much. It was more that this little ritual seemed to soothe him, somehow. Like the spirits of his dead family still stuck to his skin like the ashes of the burning hospital that had taken a week to fully wash off, and this was the only way to get them to let go for a little while. 

He didn’t consider himself nostalgic, either, but as Law set up the little piles of hay and tinder - all different sizes, set up in descending order - he wondered vaguely what his family would think of him now. Probably nothing good; he was a murdering pirate seeking revenge, and they were all peaceful and loving. Strange to think he’d ever been surrounded by those kind of people.

Back home, this ritual would be more precise. Whatever material was chosen to burn should be roughly the same size and shape of the person it represented. (He’d have to use everything he bought just for Corazon’s, in that case) There should be a trinket representative of whomever was being honored - a favorite meal, perfume sprayed over the wood, a toy. Law settled for carving each of their names into the biggest pieces of tinder he could find. There should be a prayer, too, but that slipped from his memory a long time ago. 

At the end of it all, it was dark out when each of the four separate piles were arranged and lit. Law stared into the flames as he sat in the sand, for once not thinking about much of anything. Maybe there was something to be said for taking a night off from planning an intricate murder, since his mind felt so blissfully clear. Something about taking a moment to reflect on why he was doing this in the first place made all the doubts and weariness go up in smoke. 

While he was pleased to no longer be responsible for the people they’d freed from Rocky Port, Kid found himself a little melancholy at seeing Sylvanas vanish from his sight. She’d been especially brave for someone in her situation - he hoped she would find her way to the seas one day, as she’d said she would. The memories the whole encounter had brought back - the leering men, the cloying stench of sweat in the air, the vacant, distant looks on all the small faces - were miserable, leaving him restless and unsettled. 

He couldn’t help but wonder… if Katrina had been more like Sylvanas, would she have made it? But maybe Katrina had endured more than Sylvanas… maybe if he hadn’t taken her from that awful place Sylvanas would have become Katrina in just a few short years, or months, or weeks…Does that mean it was his fault, for not trying to handle things sooner? Jolting upright from his chair on the deck, Kid spat over the railing, snarling at himself for being such an idiot, letting his train of thought go down such a useless path. 

“If you have time to think, you have time to work,” he muttered to himself, only belatedly hearing his mother in those words. Fucking hell. Cursing aloud then, the word echoing rather loudly across the water, Kid made his way to the gangplank with only a half pause to tell Killer he was going for a damn walk. Feet in the sand he felt a little more grounded, though that wasn’t enough to fully shake the thoughts. 

One quick glance to his right told him there was no way in hell he was going that way. He could see the light flicker from a multitude of bonfires and hear the distant sound of party-goers from here; if he found himself in the middle of that crowd right now he’d have more than just one or two more murders to his name. And so he turned to the left, to the darkened shoreline dotted with rocks and slick with lichen, and started to pick his way across. 

It wasn’t until about half an hour into the walk than he noticed another soft flicker of light up ahead but this time it was different - there was more than one and they seemed to move independently of the others, small pools of color instead of one large, roaring fire. Rounding a little knoll and a scrubby copse of bushes Kid came up short as he saw the distinct yellow and black color scheme of a certain fellow pirate captain, “... You again.”

Lost in thought as he was, Law didn’t really even recognize someone had approached until he heard Eustass’ voice. He could flip him off, shrug and smirk and say he was here first, but he didn’t. Instead, Law simply glanced at the redhead before looking back at the fire. Either the other captain would stay or he would go but Law didn’t see much of a need for a verbal response. For some reason, he wasn’t as annoyed by Eustass’ presence as he should be. Strange, since he usually only enjoyed this yearly ritual in private. Having company made him feel too exposed. 

Kid expected some smart ass remark from Trafalgar right off the bat, but when it didn’t come Kid took true stock of the situation he’d just walked in on and sighed a little, “Fuck.” It was almost soft, an expression of recognition more than anything else. He’d stumbled upon… something. He didn’t know what exactly, but it didn’t take a genius to look around and realize that Trafalgar had been having a moment. 

Rationality told him to keep walking but something, instinct maybe, (It better not be sentimental bullshit, that’s all he had to say on that matter.) bade him sit down on the other side of the fire from his fellow Supernova. That done, Kid tucked his ankles under his thighs and gazed steadily at the man across from him, silent and oddly respectful. 

The silence was… surprisingly comfortable. Law expected questions or a jibe or something, but Eustass just sat in the sand and watched - him or the fire, he wasn’t certain. He didn’t really care. It was the one time in the year he let himself really think about his family and why he was doing this and if the redhead wanted to stare at him so be it. The bigger pieces of tinder bearing the names of each person he cared enough about to mourn hadn’t really caught yet - those had been placed at the edges of the fire. Law wondered if Eustass could see them from the angle he was at, and what he might make of it if he did. 

When Trafalgar didn’t tell him to fuck off Kid accepted it as an invitation to stay and settled in accordingly. After a few minutes he had to admit that his studious observation of the other man wasn’t going to teach him anything new so Kid let his eyes wander, over dark surf and sand before coming to settle on the fire. The flicker of the flames gave off a very low light but with the help of the moon Kid identified four pieces of wood that stood out from the rest, placed apart from the fire in a way that looked intentional. 

It took a bit of eye strain and some focus but after a moment Kid was able to make out some kind of writing on two of them. Names, he realized with a jolt. Had he come across Trafalgar in mourning? It was likely either that or some sort of freak demonic spell but the other man was too solemn, too reserved for that. So mourning it was. And he let Kid stay anyway. Shit, they were both in a mood tonight, weren’t they? It was another few moments of silence before Kid spoke, nodding his head toward one of the small planks, “You got a spare?”

Law’s eyes widened at the question and he turned his head to look at Eustass in surprise before he chuckled. Eventually he would learn not to expect anything of the other captain because he was always caught off guard. Wordlessly, he tossed Eustass a piece of driftwood he’d used to shift the kindling when the wind almost snuffed the smallest of the four fires. Maybe they had a similar practice in the South Blue? 

While this was an unfamiliar practice to him - they mourned their dead loudly in the South - Kid could recognize the ritual for what it was. Taking the driftwood with a faint nod of thanks, Kid pulled a small knife from the sheath at his ankle and quickly carved into it, the flicks of the blade sharp and efficient. Done in only a minute, Kid flipped the wood lengthwise in his hand before setting it near the fire closest to him. Maybe he’d thought of her today for this reason, maybe it had been too long since he’d reminded Katrina he missed her. 

He wasn’t religious so he didn’t really adhere to the actual ceremony of this whole thing, but for some reason Law didn’t like the idea of sharing his fires with Eustass. He didn’t mind sharing supplies, though. Standing, Law crossed the sand with a handful of straw and tinder he’d saved to feed the fires with. 

He glanced down at the name Eustass had carved on the driftwood and recognized it from the article. “Here. She deserves her own fire,” Law explained, pushing the paltry amount of flammable material into the other captain’s hands before lowering himself back down to sit in the sand a few feet away. He wasn’t even in the mood to be rude. This whole year had been a little strange. 

Kid only nodded at that, taking the proffered material and quickly and tidily making a little flame of his own, retrieving Katrina’s driftwood and setting the whole thing up to mimic what he saw of Trafalgar’s. If he was the religious type he would have said a prayer but he decided a long time ago that if God exists, he’s a fucking dick. The silence ran on then, enveloping them both except for the sounds of the fires as they all finally started to catch the carved pieces of wood, the letters of the names curling as the fire expanded. 

Perhaps it was because Eustass wasn’t part of his crew that this wasn’t so awkward. Shachi had tried to join him once, but Law hated it. Law was his captain, so he was going out of his way to be polite and respectful and it was bullshit. He didn’t want anyone to act differently just because his whole family had been lost to genocide. This was much better. Eustass helped himself to the ritual and made it his own and let him have his moment in peace without dancing around on principle to keep from offending his superior. 

Looking down at the smallest of the fires, Law gestured to it briefly. “Sister?” He didn’t feel bad asking; Eustass was the one interrupting and as the flames started dying into embers he felt curiosity take hold again. 

The question didn’t catch Kid off guard, so to speak, but it still raised his hackles on instinct. It was with a grimace and a force of will he forced himself to settle down, quiet for a moment before he finally nodded. On the one hand it was bullshit, how much Trafalgar had managed to learn about him in such a short time but on the other… it was kind of his own fault. He hadn’t run the man off in Rocky Port and he had basically offered himself up for questioning tonight. So maybe he’d answer the basics but that meant he got to poke at some of Trafalgar’s story himself, “You?”

Humming softly as he considered the question, Law pointed to the smallest mound of glowing embers. “Me too.” They were one for one, and he wasn’t about to expose himself more when he was already feeling vulnerable. Eustass could guess at the others if he wanted, though even Law could recognize that was a little unfair. There weren’t articles of his youth for anyone to dig up. But that was one advantage of being the sole survivor, worthless as it was most of the time. 

“Only sibling?” Kid followed up with the question as an obtuse option to whittle down who the remaining three could be. It would be easy enough to assume parents and another brother or sister but since when were the easy assumptions ever right? He didn’t plan on pushing too hard - either Trafalgar would answer or he wouldn’t and they’d go from there. But there was something to this, to the quiet crackle of the fires in the dark peace of the night. It was helping silence the discordant racket in his head. Maybe it was doing something similar for Trafalgar.

Law felt himself nodding before he could register whether or not he really wanted to answer that. But what did it matter? He knew some intimate details of Eustass’ life. And what could the redhead do with this that could hurt him, anyway? “Her name was Lamy,” he added, deciding to test the waters on this whole sharing thing. 

At that Kid nodded, looking steadfastly at his fire instead of at Trafalgar. But he was attentive to the conversation and he found himself drawn to share a little more every time the other man did. “Katrina was younger than me,” he wasn’t sure why that detail felt important, but it came out nonetheless. He sure as hell wasn’t going to get into the story surrounding her death but if they were honoring their lost loved ones it was only right to talk about her in some way.

The firelight cast interesting shadows over Eustass’ face and he looked… younger, somehow. Or maybe that was just how his face looked when he wasn’t trying to act all tough. Law couldn’t place why he felt more at ease having this conversation with the redhead than he ever had anyone else and that was frustrating, but he just let it be for now. “So was Lamy. Actually, I think both of you were born in the same year.” It was subtle, the tease that he was the older one here, but Law wore the same slight smirk he usually did when they had their usual back and forth.

The response to that was instantaneous and just as cocky as one would expect, stated with casual certainty, “Still gonna kick your ass the moment you get in my way.” Yet even though Kid meant it there was no venom in the exchange and it actually brought him out of his thoughts long enough to flash a toothy grin Trafalgar’s way. There were a handful of ways he could take the conversation now, potentially steer it away from such personal topics, but something in him felt almost… relieved, in an odd way, when he spoke next, “... That sucks, about Lamy. I’m sorry.” 

For the second time that night, Law’s eyes widened in surprise. They weren’t really friends but they were damn sure acting like it. In spite of all his efforts to keep people at a distance… Law didn’t hate it. “...Yeah. Me too,” he added nodding toward the driftwood embers glowing in the sand near Eustass’ feet. They’d go back to being rivals in the morning, he was sure of that much. But for right now, maybe there was no harm in having a friend who was his equal. 

Kid nodded in acceptance of Law’s apology, choosing to stop his probing there. The only time he took pleasure in dredging up other people’s bad memories was when he disliked them. With a soft start, he belatedly realized that meant he just fully admitted to himself he actually likes this guy. Fuck it, what a goddamn month this has been. He had a reputation to see to. Lifting his head Kid made eye contact with Trafalgar, his voice almost a touch amused, “That’s the last time you get credit for my kills, Law.”

Shrugging, Law sat back, arms propped up behind him. With his palms pressing against the sand he tilted his head back to look up at the night sky, the same smirk from earlier slowly curling over his features. He liked the way his name sounded coming from the redhead. “It’s the last time I’ll want to, Kid. It did what I needed it to do.” There was no need to be as open with his future plans as he had just been with his family. 

At that Kid barked out a laugh, the sound rich and obviously pleased. He felt lighter here, somehow. Maybe Kat really was out there somewhere, somehow, and felt better now that he’d acknowledged her. He should leave his respects more often, he knew, but his whole life was still such a mess in that realm that it seemed to trap him in a dark well every time his thoughts drifted to the topic. 

… Was it even possible to leave his respects for someone he’d killed? With a forceful little grunt Kid shook his head, trying to force the whole thing away. The point of this was supposed to be that he was feeling better, damnit. Focus on the calm sounds of the ocean at night, the soft flicker of important fires. Focus on those things. 

Remembering now that Katrina was the sister he’d been accused of killing, Law was even more certain it wasn’t as simple as the paper made it out to be. He wouldn’t be mourning her if he’d done it out of hate. “Is there a tradition like this in the South Blue?” It seemed a safe change of subject, away from the specifics of their families and the fact that they were still rivals. 

That question drew a thoughtful little hum from Kid for a second before he shook his head with a laugh, “No, we mourn our dead loud there. Women wailing, hair cutting, at least two ceremonies, plus one for every ten years you live past forty. It’s a whole… thing.” He had vague memories of a grandparent dying when he was young but neither of his parents ever seemed to care much for their own so the actual ceremony of it was never carried out, at least not by them or in a way that Kid attended. It’s funny, now that he thought about it. He’d never actually participated in any kind of ceremony or ritual for the dead before and now here he was, first time, mimicking Law. 

“That sounds like… a lot.” It wasn’t the greatest descriptor but Law wasn’t really sure how else to describe it. Loud mourning didn’t seem like something he would enjoy; he really only followed through with this ritual because it was quiet and private and easy to do. It didn’t look like anything special from far away and when someone had stumbled into it in the past, Law was easily able to pretend he was doing nothing more than keeping himself warm. Being as private as he was, he couldn’t imagine such a public display of emotion.

“Yeah,” came Kid’s rejoinder, an easy agreement, “not really my thing.” Not that he was adverse to being loud in his grief, but he wasn’t the type to let others realize the outburst was pain driven; he’d much prefer everyone think it was anger. Besides, what did the dead know about how they were mourned? They were dead, after all. With a sigh he shifted his weight, stretching out one of his legs to the side to avoid it getting any more tingly than it already was. 

Turning to face Kid, Law considered him thoughtfully. “If this isn’t how you do things in the South Blue, how did you know what I was doing in the first place?” The very reason he liked this tradition was because it was so inconspicuous, but if the redhead was able to pick up on what he was doing so quickly maybe that wasn’t the case after all. 

That drew a chuckle from Kid, the sound warm and quiet on the night air. “It was either that or a demon ritual,” he responded, his own amusement clear, “and you were too damn quiet and somber for the second thing, so…” While he wasn’t dumb enough to believe he really knew anything about the man across from him, Kid was certain he knew enough that the joke would land properly.

Without skipping a beat Law shrugged, a slow grin spreading across his face. “I’m always somber during the start of my demon rituals. I have to let my overlord know I’m taking my job seriously before the blood orgy.” The more he spoke to Kid, the more he realized how compatible they were. It would be a problem if he wasn’t so sure their goals wouldn’t conflict with each other’s. 

“A bit short on people for an orgy, aren’t ya?” the ebb and flow of their conversation was easy and every time they interacted Kid realized more and more how calming that was for him. It was nice to have this kind of back and forth with someone he somehow related to so well. Law was fucked up but weren’t they all? Maybe that’s why the connection felt so simple. 

“Nah, it’s a blood orgy. Don’t need people, just body parts. I’d say one other person would be more than enough.” Law eyed Kid pointedly as he finished, grinning wide enough that his teeth were bared. Sometimes he wondered how far he could go before the redhead was scared off, but more and more he was realizing he appreciated that the other captain didn’t seem uncomfortable at all. 

At that Kid laughed again, far more amused than unnerved, “Ballsy little fuck, threatening your better like that.” While truth be told Law’s actual power unnerved him, Kid knew that the other Supernova wasn’t going to do anything to actually attack him out here - there was no point to it and it would set both their crews to fighting when they all had much better things to do. To be fair, they still weren’t as far away from Rocky Port as he’d like to be, either, and he was sure Law felt the same way. 

Inching closer, Law pressed on with their strange dance of threats that were more flirtation than anything else. “Oh, you see it as a threat? I was going for more of a promise,” he drawled, body shifting in the sand until he was within arm’s reach of Kid. “Unless you think you can stop me?” it was a challenge, yes, but an invitation too. The log pose on this island would take awhile to set; they had nothing better to do right now and Law was still so curious about how the redhead would respond.

“You’re a bit scrawny t’be too much of a danger,” grinning as he spoke, Kid reached out the moment Law was within reach and grabbed his arm, yanking it out from under him as the other man shifted to rest his weight on it. With Law flat on his back in the sand Kid moved with a speed that was perhaps surprising for his bulk, managing to straddle the smaller man’s waist before he was able to push himself upright again, “So yeah, I know I can stop you.” 

If it wouldn’t have had the potential of getting Kid to move just to prove a point, Law would have pointed out that, far from being stopped, Kid was giving him exactly what he wanted. “Physically, sure,” he began, completely unruffled by their change in positions. “But you know that’s not everything.” Law made no attempt to move though, simply laying back against the sand and looking up at Kid with a challenge in his eyes.

The smirk Kid gave Law was devious and certain, cocky in its confidence, “It’s all that matters right now.” It was strange, how just a few minutes could so completely change his outlook. All of a sudden his previous urges to dominate Law came roaring back, flaring to life through his body and making his fingers flex with the desire. He looked so fragile beneath Kid, so easily breakable, but the bigger man knew he wasn’t and that made it all the better. 

“Is it?” Slowly, Law stretched his arms out above him, his gaze never breaking from Kid’s. “Because you know I could easily switch our positions,” pausing, Law activated his power, the blue glow encompassing both their bodies and little else, keeping it small. “If I wanted to,” he added finally, making it clear that although he could, he didn’t want to.

Something about the way Law was looking at him, the way he kept offering himself up like a damn snack, sat well with Kid. Of course there was fun in dominating someone or something that struggled against it - that was how he’d built the bulk of his bounty as a pirate, after all. But to take submission that was being so clearly offered, by someone who absolutely had the capability to fight back if he wished… that was a different kind of treat all on its own. “You could,” Kid acknowledged then, teeth bared in a knowing, teasing grin as he reached out and slid his hands along Law’s arms until he could wrap thick fingers around fragile wrists, “but you won’t.”

Holding his body still, Law simply flexed his fingers in Kid’s hold, careful not to give away how much he was enjoying this. He took a moment to make sure he was still holding the redhead’s gaze before letting his expression shift into something disapproving, flicking his eyes to the side briefly to indicate the smoldering piles of ash they’d left behind. “Is this the kind of wailing your people had in mind during their mourning rituals?” The question was innocent enough but the implication was certainly not. 

“I dunno,” Kid shrugged then, easy and unbothered, that same grin still plastered on his face, “I guess we’d have to see if you get loud enough.” While Kid had been picking up on Law’s innuendo pretty regularly, this was the moment that really solidified what he already thought - his fellow Supernova wanted him and wanted him bad. While he enjoyed Law’s company he certainly didn’t trust him yet, so he tucked that nugget of information away, knowing it could be useful later. 

“Mmh, I can see how that would be a problem. I’m really only loud during blood orgies,” Law half-whispered, as though he was revealing a secret. He even managed to look a little disappointed, playing along still. “I guess that part would be your job.” Strange how quickly melancholy turned into blatantly inviting a rival to fuck, but Law had long since stopped questioning how the world worked. It had been a long time since he’d just let himself have some fun. 

It was a challenge Kid had no doubt he’d crush, just like everything else that had been put in his way since he found himself on the open ocean. Law was a wicked tease but if there was one skill Kid had mastered in this realm it was patience. He did so love seeing Law throw himself at him, loved the sense of power he felt when the other captain made it so clear how badly he was wanted. 

“Guess so,” leaning down, Kid pressed his body along Law’s from hip to chest, mouth about level with the shell of Law’s ear. His voice was low, tone warm, the soft puffs of air washing over Law’s sensitive skin as he spoke, “I think I’m up to it… Wanna find out?”


	9. Mine Or Yours

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy 2019 everyone! Here's to our boys being, well... boys.
> 
> Warnings: Light bloodplay during a sexual encounter.

There was sand pooling in the collar of his shirt, grinding against the sensitive skin at the back of his neck, and Law couldn’t find it in himself to care. Kid’s bulk pinning him down felt better than he remembered from that time on the deck of his ship. Without his power to aide him, it would be next to impossible to escape the redhead’s hold on him. The edge of danger just drove the spike of want in deeper. “Do you really have to ask?”

Tossing his head back with an easy roar of laughter Kid just shook his head, the moonlight glinting behind him catching his hair at just the right angle to make it glow. How astoundingly strange this whole situation was but he would take it and run, “I like how easy you admit you want me.” That much was simple and true - there was power in being desired. It was a power that was most often ascribed to women but Kid had found his own way with it some time ago. 

“Is that what I’m doing?” The mock-innocent look from before was gone, rapidly replaced by another smirk in spite of his coy words. He found being contradictory was amusing, and knew Kid would as well. “Are you sure I’m not just buttering you up for the sacrifice?” Law continued, arching his back to press up against Kid to emphasize his words.

“Yeah, your boner says you at least wanna get fucked before you slit my throat,” rocking his hips forward to meet Law’s arch up against him Kid laughed again, the act of existing somehow actually… feeling simple, for the first time in a long time. His hands were busy as they spoke, tracing along sharp collarbones and slim forearms, pausing only to wrap tightly around thin wrists, “Don’t you?”

Straightening his spine again, Law let himself lay flat back on the sand, looking up at Kid with an unimpressed expression. “...boner? You really are a kid,” he complained halfheartedly, not entirely taken out of the mood thanks to the redhead’s continued weight pinning him down. But he did feel it necessary to comment on Kid’s immature choice of words. 

Kid shrugged, nonplussed, honestly rather amused it seemed to have put Law off, “What? Prefer hard-on, stiffy, chub? Or should I be more clinical, doctor, and call it an erection?” Kid didn’t have shame in many facets of his life and this certainly was not one of them. He just sat astride Law’s hips with that same shit-eating grin as before, waiting for a response. 

“You can call it gone if you don’t knock it off.” In spite of his words, however, Law couldn’t help but be a little amused. He had criticized various things about previous partners in the past, some just as minor as this, and they’d gotten offended. Law enjoyed pushing buttons when the mood struck him and he’d learned that men had fragile egos that could be deflated as easily as sticking a pin in a balloon. Kid seemed to be that way about some things but sex didn’t appear to be one of them. It would be fun to be with someone who didn’t take himself too seriously. 

Another casual shrug was Kid’s main response, “Your loss.” But he knew what Law wanted and he knew how to use that to his advantage - he was going to make sure Law kept wanting him. Pressing his hips down harder Kid closed what little gap there was between himself and the other man, sliding his body along Law’s slow and steady and just hard enough to feel good. He was dimly aware of his own cock growing hard but that wasn’t his focus - getting Law speechless under him was. 

Being quiet was already something Law was good at; he hadn’t been lying before when he said he was rarely loud. The friction between them was certainly enjoyable but the only indication he found it so was the slight hitch in his breathing. His expression didn’t change, though, gaze remaining locked on what he could see of Kid’s face in the moonlight, body still and unresponsive. Clearly, the message had been received that he wanted Kid. Law was intent on giving Kid a chance to send his own message.

The silence stretched between them for a few long, slow minutes as Kid slicked their fire-warmed bodies against one another. There was something so intoxicating about this, about looking down at Law from this tight angle and reveling in how fucking powerful he felt. He didn’t move on until he consistently felt Law’s cock hard and throbbing between their bellies, fat with need. 

Only once he was sure that he’d “fixed” Law’s erection did he move to do anything differently, shifting to switch both of Law’s wrists into just one of his hands. With his arms pulled off to one side like that Law’s neck was left wide open and Kid immediately took advantage, pressing in to start biting and sucking along the column of the smaller man’s throat.

It was easy enough to let his curiosity take hold, lay back and just watching what Kid had in mind. Considering what he’d seen of the other captain previously, Law was expecting something faster paced. The redhead was not one to beat around the bush, always wanting to be the first one to get in a punch or trade an insult. Interesting that now he was slow and methodical, taking his time. For his part, Law remained mostly still, used to being the calculating one. He had no shame, though, occasionally arching his back just enough to meet Kid in the middle as he rocked their bodies together. 

Even with just one hand around his wrists, Law still felt pinned. He could perhaps squirm away if he put the right amount of effort into it, but there was no reason to for now. There was enough of a distraction that the usual creeping panic whenever he was confined was kept at the edges of his mind. Especially when the sharp feeling of teeth at his throat sent pinpricks of pleasure through his system, a wave of energy shooting from his neck down to his toes. It didn’t hurt, not really, but the promise of pain had his body buzzing.

Kid recognized Law’s pleased reaction for what it was immediately. With a purr rumbling low in his throat Kid nipped and sucked his way up Law’s neck until he reached his ear, licking slowly along the length of the shell before he whispered, “You like that. You want me to hurt you more?” It was an offer, not a threat, but the way Kid dug his fingernails into Law’s wrists made it clear he was certain he knew what answer to expect.

Keeping with his assertion that he wasn’t usually very vocal during sex, Law’s response was not verbal. Instead, he elongated his fingers to expose more of his wrists in encouragement. At the same time, he twisted his head to the side and stretched out his neck to give Kid more access to both spots in invitation.

The chuckle that Kid gave him in response was throaty and rich with the promise of something dirty, “You do know how to be a good boy…” As he spoke Kid tightened his grip on Law’s wrists until it was punishing, digging deep into soft flesh, almost as though he wanted to feel the fragile bones in Law’s wrists rub together. That, coupled with the way he lowered his head to where Law’s neck and shoulder met only to bite so hard it left teeth marks made it clear he was happy to give Law exactly what he wanted. 

It was hard to say when exactly he’d come to associate pain with pleasure. Maybe it had started as a coping mechanism, as a reminder that feeling pain meant he was alive and that was a good thing. Things had only spiraled from there and - after his messy teenage years were spent trying to survive - had settled into what they were now. Or maybe he was just born a masochist. Either way the nails and teeth digging into his sensitive skin made him feel a kind of warm that had nothing to do with the weather, a slow, deep exhale escaping him, the kind of sound a person would usually make upon sinking into a warm bath - relaxing instead of pulling away.

That had been Kid’s first test, known to Law or not - he was curious as to how he’d react to being called a “good boy.” Kid figured it was a fifty-fifty toss up between accepting it and asking for more or him getting all offended and trying to wiggle away. The redhead was very, very pleased with the actual outcome - Law was going to be absolutely fucking beautiful to dominate. 

Shifting his weight, Kid angled his body so he could press one of his thighs between Law’s legs, giving the other man more direct pressure to rub against. He wanted Law to show how eager he was for it, how badly he wanted Kid. As he shifted he kept his mouth working slow and sweet, starting to leave what would eventually bloom into a deep purple bruise right over the bite mark he’d just made previously. 

While it was true that Law didn’t like to be told what to do, if he was given a directive - verbal or otherwise - that lined up with his own goals, he wasn’t opposed to following orders. Letting his legs fall open, he allowed Kid’s thigh to settle between them, humming slightly at the change in pressure. It was the only sound he allowed himself to make as he started slowly rolling his hips against the redhead as he so clearly wanted.

As he gazed down at the man beneath him, Kid’s look couldn’t be described as anything but predatory. He was hungry, but the look of desire in his eyes was different - while it clearly telegraphed a sense of ownership it was lacking that edge of sharp sexual desire. Kid was so entirely focused on what he could do to Law that he had little interest in what Law could do for him. 

With the slender man settling in to a steady rhythm Kid let loose another quiet purr of approval, his free hand snaking down to grip Law’s hip. “Good,” his voice was so quiet it was almost silent but with as close as he was to Law’s ear he knew the other man would have no trouble hearing him at all, “You do like that… you like how I make you feel. You’re already so fucking hard against me.” 

Law tilted his head back the other way so he could look at Kid rather than looking off to the side, eyebrow quirked slightly. Bending his knee, he brought one of his legs up between Kid’s own, pressing hard against the other man’s erection pointedly. 

That just made Kid chuckle, the sound more amused than anything. He loved this kind of back and forth, the give and take in these situations and he appreciated Law’s continued insistence on pointing out when they were on equal footing. He was aware of his own cock hardening between his legs but he’d worry about that later. “So?” he inquired then, pressing himself down against Law’s leg, “I can’t fuck you without it.”

Breathing out through his nose in an amused huff, Law tilted his head again, accepting that his point had been made. He stilled the rest of his body as well, no longer rocking against the redhead, forcing him to either demand more or switch his method. 

It was so easy to stay in tune with Law, with his whims and the volatile way he expressed desire. Whatever the reason Kid felt connected with him, it was working in his favor now. Shifting until he was astride Law again, Kid pinched his knees into Law’s hips and grunted softly before throwing his weight to the side, dragging Law along with him until the smaller man was on top, resting between his legs. 

Settling himself into the sand, Kid grinned up at the black-haired sylph between his thighs, stroking his hands down Law’s thin arms. The weight of Law’s body against his own was comforting and warm, tempted him to wrap himself around the other man and just hold him close. But they had other things to do right now, didn’t they? The insistent press of Law’s erection against him was a clear reminder of that.

Propping himself up with both palms on Kid’s chest, Law looked down at the redhead with his lips quirked in a slight smirk. “Did you change your mind? Is this your way of telling me you prefer to be the one on the bottom?” There were a few things he’d already given away, but Law was intent on keeping Kid guessing. Just because he liked pain didn’t mean Kid knew any of his other preferences.

At that Kid bared his teeth, though it was accompanied by a bark of amusement, “Hardly. You want my cock in you, we both know it. I like the view from down here.” Shifting his stance, Kid placed both feet flat on the ground and canted his hips up, pressing his substantial girth against the soft flesh of Law’s belly, “You’ll have me in deeper when you’re riding me.”

Law hummed thoughtfully, pushing himself up so he was sitting back in Kid’s lap, considering the larger man beneath him. He found himself wishing he had more light to see by; the redhead was unconventionally attractive in a way that Law was finding that he enjoyed more and more. It was in his expressions, the way he exuded confidence, and Law wanted to examine the way Kid was looking at him now. “I’m not much for doing all the work.”

It was an amused scoff that echoed through the air then, “Here’s the thing, Law… When I’m in control, it’s not about what you want.” At that Kid’s right hand shot up and outward, managing to tangle in the hair at Law’s forehead and yank down, pulling him back within close range immediately, “It’s about me fucking you. It’s about me fucking taking you.” Sliding his free hand down the small of Law’s back, the redhead punctuated his next words with sharp swats to the pert ass he found under his fingers, “You’ll do all the work I tell you.”

For the first time since this began, Law’s resolution to be quiet cracked as the sound of laughter snuck past his lips. It wasn’t because Kid was one of those people hilariously out of their depth in trying to take control of him, but because Law was truly just enjoying himself. The redhead was patient in a way he’d never expected and just as easy to be with as he’d been since they first met. 

The thought that he’d found someone he was already so compatible with seemed impossible, but here they were. “I guess we’ll see about that. I’ve never been good at following orders,” Law paused then, pushing himself up so he was sitting as straight as he could with Kid’s grip on his hair, not minding the strain on his scalp, the pinpricks of pain just highlighting his desire that much more intensely. “Unless it’s something I intended to do in the first place.”

Completely unperturbed by Law’s laughter, Kid just smirked up at him and waited until he was done talking to respond, “Yeah, but look at you.” Twisting his hand just the slightest bit tighter in Law’s hair, Kid drank in the way it made Law’s breath hitch, “You and me, we’re on the same page. You’re gonna do what I say because you wanna do it.” 

That was the biggest draw to all of this, in Kid’s mind. He had absolutely no interest in actually forcing Law to do anything, but to have his orders obeyed out of sheer desire… that was the hook. That thought in mind, Kid dragged his hand from Law’s hair down from his face to his chest, pinching and twisting briefly at a hardened nipple under Law’s shirt for a minute before trailing along his belly until Kid was able to trace his fingers along the shape of his partner’s cock, outlined clearly through his pants, “Isn’t that right?”

Once his hair was freed, Law pushed himself back up, mostly so he could continue to try and discern Kid’s expression in the low light but partly because he liked showing off, just a little. He arched his back into the other man’s touch, unashamed at each little quiver of want that pulsed through him each time Kid did something he liked. “For now, anyway. You’ll know if I change my mind,” Law finally replied nonchalantly, as though the other captain didn’t have his hand on his cock.

The grin that Kid gave Law in return was voracious, eyes dark with pleasure. While the larger man radiated satisfaction, it never actually veered into the smug realm of things. This was just as much a treat for him as it was Law, there was no sense in trying to deny that. After a moment Kid pushed himself up as well, until he and Law were pressed chest to chest with the older captain straddling his waist. The quiet half chuckle that escaped Kid at that point was in regards to their height - he did like almost always being the bigger one. 

Sliding both hands around Law’s slim hips, Kid let his fingers wander, dipping below the waist of Law’s pants teasingly to trace over the top of his ass, “Want me to make you come, Law? That what you’re after?” The other man’s flesh was supple under his fingers, smooth and unblemished and just begging to be fucked up - if you asked Kid, at least. It was going to be a delight, to see how much effort it took to really get Law’s tanned skin glowing red.

“Among other things,” Law replied seamlessly. His hands - which had previously been resting on Kid’s chest - slid up as the taller man shifted and now his arms were curled around his shoulders. It was a strangely intimate position, this almost hug. In Law’s experience in this realm, very few of his partners bothered with anything that resembled intimacy and that was usually his preference, but something about this felt natural. 

Palming as much of Law’s ass as he could manage in one hand Kid just smirked, ducking his head to worry some more at the bite bruise he’d left earlier. Fuck, but if Law asking to be wrecked wasn’t the most amazing fucking thing he’d witnessed in a long damn time… just the man’s easy confidence in what he desired, how utterly relaxed he was when he asked for it - Kid appreciated that in a man. 

“Happily,” he murmured into soft skin then, tracing his hand down further until his fingers slid into the cleft of Law’s ass. Step one - finger him open. Step two - fuck him. As he traced a path downward with a fingernail, Kid allowed himself some teasing, too light touches over Law’s hole before actually starting to press hard enough to give Law any sort of substantial feeling. Taking him was going to be wonderful. That thought was the only thing playing through Kid’s head in a loop as he held Law close. It was going to be fucking wonderful. It was. It was, until suddenly… Kid pulled his hand back with a curse, lifting his head to look Law in the face, “You got any lube?”

Almost as rare as encountering intimacy during sex was a partner not solely invested in the state of his own cock. Law was taking advantage of the fact that Kid wasn’t in a hurry for some personal attention of his own, just enjoying the feeling of his much larger hands moving against him. The sudden pause made him sigh impatiently, shrugging in response to the redhead’s question. “Just do it dry.”

While Kid was brazen and admittedly a little stupid and usually willing to charge head first into anything, dry fucking anal was not one of them. The look he gave Law telegraphed as much, though he followed it up with an incredulous, “No thanks, dick burn s’not my thing.” Holy hell but there was no way he was trying to fuck Law - or anybody, actually - with nothing but sand, ocean water, and ash to ease the way. 

Holding back an impatient sigh, Law scrutinized Kid like he thought the redhead was fucking with him for a few seconds before speaking. “Didn’t think you’d be so sensitive. But if you insist, I have everything you could need on my ship.” With a slight tilt of his head, Law indicated the direction both ships were docked. It’d be quick enough to get back with the use of his power; they wouldn’t necessarily even need to move. 

Sensing another opportunity to demonstrate his control in these situations, Kid’s only response was to flash a grin at Law, lightning quick and devilish, before grabbing him around the waist and throwing him back down into the sand. Following quick enough to wrap his arms under Law’s thighs and up over the curve of his hips, Kid firmly tugged Law against him and held the smaller man in place before pressing his mouth - open, hot, and wet - against the outline of Law’s erection tenting through his pants. 

The sudden shift in position wrung another unintended sound from Law as he grunted upon hitting the sand again. His fingers twisted in Kid’s hair, at first intent on pulling him away but then thinking better of it when he felt his mouth brush against him. It had really been too long since he’d last been with anyone else; normally something as simple as a blowjob wouldn’t really hold much of his attention but... it had also been such a long time since Law had wanted someone so badly. 

Taking Law’s reaction as unabashed victory on Kid’s part, the redhead set to his newest task with a will, holding Law down with one arm as he used the other to wiggle Law’s pants down just enough to fully free his cock from its previous confinement. He enjoyed the way Law’s body bucked against him, how he tried in vain to twist away only to be held fast in Kid’s grip. There was just something potent about being able to overpower a rival - especially one he knew posed an active threat. 

As Law’s cock bobbed heavy against the taut skin of his stomach, Kid looked up only to grin again, catching Law’s eyes around his erection. Fuck, but he wanted to keep watching him like this while he sucked him off, wanted to see Law’s reaction to everything he did. It was with that thought in his head - and his eyes still locked on Law’s like a target - that Kid stretched himself up just far enough to wrap his lips around the flushed, leaking head he’d exposed, doing nothing but holding it in his mouth for now.

Instead of relaxing into Kid’s hold on him like most people would, Law held himself tense as he looked down at the other captain. From what he could see in the low light, he looked thrilled, like he’d won something. But Law couldn’t help the suspicion that kept his muscles taut. Kid was being a little too… giving. There had to be some underlying plan here and while he didn’t try to move away or stop the redhead, Law continued watching him with dubious arousal as he attempted to determine what he was really trying to do here.

At this point, Kid really had few hidden motives that mattered. The uncertainty in Law’s eyes, the suspicion, they only made his grin wider - or would have, anyway, if his mouth wasn’t full. Amusement clear on his features, Kid brought his tongue into play then, running it up and down the slit of Law’s cock before occasionally twisting it around the head with slow, broad strokes. This was his preferred style of blowjob, most times - he liked showing off a bit, having a touch of finesse. Kid had a sneaking suspicion himself that Law would not be expecting that. 

When Kid didn’t immediately attempt to bite his dick in half, Law decided there probably wasn’t really some ulterior ploy at play for the time being. Maybe the other man just wanted to see what stupid faces he made when he was enjoying himself. Tentatively, Law let himself lay back in the sand, though his fingers remained curled in Kid’s hair. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d gotten attention like this and though it wasn’t his usual encounter, it was still… nice. When was the last time he’d just let himself have something enjoyable in its simplicity? Probably never.

When Law broke eye contact Kid silently cursed him, but then just decided that meant he’d need to find a different opportunity to watch Law’s face as he took him. Now that they’d finally seemed to agree on their next steps the redhead set to it with a will, bobbing his head along Law’s cock between long, focused sessions on lavishing the head with attention. At some point in the whole process Kid had closed his eyes, getting lost in the process until he suddenly felt Law’s cock hit the back of his throat and gagged. 

With a slight cough Kid pulled back just for a moment, catching his breath before shaking his head at himself in something like disbelief. How the fuck did he manage to get so distracted he lost track of the depth of the whole process? Fuck if he was going to let Law think he was a damn amateur. It was with a terse little frown he leaned back down, eyes narrowed at Law’s cock in almost a challenge before he took it back in his mouth again. He could only hope he’d managed to do all that fast enough to avoid Law seeing. 

It was remarkably easy to relax once he decided Kid wasn’t up to anything for the time being. Maybe he just really enjoyed being on the giving end of oral sex? The sensation was pleasant, but far from what Law usually enjoyed, and after several minutes he felt himself fidget, shifting his hips forward to try to find a different position. 

Law felt Kid gag before he heard it, and he smirked slightly as he lifted his head again. “You have such a big mouth, usually. I’m surprised that was too much for you,” he teased when he met the other captain’s gaze again.

At that Kid absolutely had to pull his mouth from Law to respond, unable to resist a retort to that comment, “Take it as a compliment.” Wanting to wipe that pert little smirk right from Law’s lips, Kid bent his head down again and went back to work with a will, though this time he added in some additions. Pulling his arms back from around Law’s hips, the younger man dug his nails into the soft inner flesh of Law’s thighs instead, dragging them down slow and hard, knowing he’d be leaving welts behind after just one pass.

“I don’t need to be complimented,” Law replied smugly, pulling his hands from Kid’s hair so he could prop himself up on his elbows and watch. Taking in the way the other man went about his task with such vigor, Law had to assume he really was trying to win something by being so good at this. It was still odd to him, that someone who was so adamant about being in control would choose to do this to express it. It didn’t make any more sense to him the longer it went on, but then again nothing about Kid had been predictable.

The shift in position had another wry comment spring to mind, but before Law could tease him about his arms getting tired, he felt the sharp pain of nails against his thighs. This was more what he was used to, more what he wanted, and Law felt a low groan leave him instead of the words he’d been about to say. 

Now that sound was something worth rewarding him for. Moving his nails a bare centimeter to the right Kid dug in again, dragging his nails down harder and even slower this time - he wanted to see how Law would respond to the blood welling out against Kid’s fingertips. On his end of things Kid fucking loved it, loved the smell and the sensation, the way you couldn’t mistake Law’s blood for anything other than what it was. If the other man had been earnest in telling Kid to fuck him dry he was pretty sure this would get him going too.

Letting his arms fall out from under him, Law slowly sank back down, head swimming as the feeling of Kid’s nails tearing up his thighs blended smoothly with the sensation of the heat and pressure of his mouth. This was what he needed, the build up of pressure in his gut increasing tenfold as his previously out of reach orgasm had him on the edge, fingers once again curling into red locks and clenching.

 

Kid hummed his own pleasure around Law filling his mouth, his eyes glinting with satisfaction as he felt the other man tug insistently at his hair. So Law really was a sucker for pain… Kid could and absolutely would use that bit of knowledge. It was delightful, in its own way; he looked forward to exploiting it in the future. But for now he continued on, digging consistent if messy rows of bloody furrows into Law’s legs as sucked in a deep breath of air through his nose and pressed himself as far down onto Law as he could go. It was sloppy, wet, messy and bloody, but in the moment it was perfect. 

The only warning Kid got before Law came was one sharp tug to his hair. True to his word, even now, Law was near silent. The only sound he made was a sharp exhale, body tensing before relaxing almost immediately. There would undoubtedly be sand in the narrow gashes in his legs, but it was not a concern he had right now. Law thought of himself as more complex when it came to sex, and as his brain kicked back into gear he realized this was the first time he’d been with anybody that wasn’t a stranger. He and Kid had been dancing around each other for months now and maybe that was the reason so little was so satisfying.

Feeling Law come undone at his ministrations was more than enough for Kid. It was a rich pleasure all its own, to know what he could wring from the other man. He drank the sensation in for a moment, ignoring everything else around him until the warmth of it dulled. Reality setting back in, while Kid had let Law spill into his mouth his immediate reaction once Law relaxed back down into the sand was to spit it out.

That done, Kid swallowed a few times to ensure his voice wouldn’t be scratchy when he spoke. Wiping a hand across his lips he looked back up at his partner again, that same old grin winding its way across his face, “Look at you…” Indeed, look at him. Sprawled out in the sand, bloodied, eyes glazed over in pleasure as his slowly softening cock dribbled against the fabric of his shirt, Law was a sight to behold. Damn if it didn’t make Kid feel powerful.

“I would but I don’t have a mirror,” Law replied, tone a little more relaxed than his usual clipped way of speaking. He didn’t bother sitting up, laying back against the sand and just enjoying the calm afterglow. Kid was sure to demand something sooner or later and Law would be lying if he said he wasn’t looking forward to whatever else he had planned, but for now this was good enough. 

“You’re a comedian,” came the deadpan response. With another deep breath, Kid pushed himself away from Law just far enough to roll onto his back, looking up at the stars as his mind wandered without much intent. The sand was still warm against his back - perhaps the proximity to the fire had made it so. Kid felt calm, content against the backdrop of beach and ocean, with someone he enjoyed at his side. He could doze off here and everything would be fine.

Hearing Kid shift, Law expected the other man to pin him down again or demand he return the favor. When he settled into the sand at his feet instead, Law shifted, pulling his pants back up over his bleeding thighs before crawling over to Kid so he was laying on his chest, peering down at his face. “Are you ever going to do anything I expect you to do, or do you insist on remaining an enigma?” he asked. It was a rhetorical question and gave away the fact that Law found Kid to be unpredictable, which was more than he would usually admit to.

Enjoying the sense of lethargy that was rapidly settling over him, Kid’s only response came as he cracked one eye partially open and chuckled softly into Law’s face, “Heh.” If Law thought he was an enigma, who the hell was Kid to do anything to change his mind? Even Law’s weight against his body like this was soothing, in its own way. He’d always liked sleeping with something heavy against his skin - Lyssa used to tease him all the time for stealing her stuffed dog so he could stick it on his back before he went to sleep.

The level of patience Kid continued to display had Law suspicious again. What was he waiting for? Deciding quickly that the redhead must want to see what Law had in mind, he pushed himself back to kneel between Kid’s thighs, fingers curling around his belt buckle in an attempt to figure out how to pull it open in the dark.

Law’s sudden movement almost startled Kid - he’d been drifting enough that he hadn’t expected it. Both eyes snapping open this time, Kid watched Law silently for a moment before chuckling, pressing himself up onto his forearms, and then deftly twisting away from Law to stand. “No,” brushing the sand from his backside, Kid turned his face to meet Law’s with a wicked glint in his eyes, “you don’t always get what you want.”

“What I want,” Law repeated, a hint of incredulousness in his otherwise deadpan tone. He was the one who had gotten off; why would Kid think he hadn’t already gotten what he wanted? “Either you really like sucking dick or you want me to be in your debt,” he continued, pushing himself up to stand as well.

Kid’s rich laugh surrounded them both then, warm against the glow of the moon. He was clearly enjoying himself. Not terribly focused on his own arousal, Kid was finding much more enjoyment in pushing Law’s buttons and eliciting these wonderfully confused and yet somehow still demanding reactions from him. “You want me to fuck you,” he responded then as he crossed his arms, smirking at Law one more time before turning on his heel and starting to head down the beach, back the way he’d came, “you’re not getting any of my cock until that happens.” 

Law was proud of the fact that very, very few things ever got under his skin, and up until now he’d been nothing but attracted to Kid’s confidence. Right now, however, he couldn’t help but be annoyed by it. Bastard seemed so sure this would happen again, that he knew what it was Law wanted. It was so incredibly frustrating because he was right. There was no response he could think of in the moment that wouldn’t make him sound foolish, so Law opted for silence, letting the taller man get a good distance away before he glanced at the piles of ash neatly lined up in the sand. “...you better not have been watching that,” he murmured softly.

Kid was riding high as he strolled back down the beach, entertaining himself with the sounds of the night surrounding him until the harbor came into sight. Despite the late hour he was wide awake and unready to sleep and while his erection was vaguely annoying it had already started to lose its firmness by the time he boarded his ship. Course set a few minutes earlier, Kid bypassed his own cabin and let himself into that of his first mate’s, just down the hall. 

Without asking for permission, the redhead stripped down to his underwear before sliding between the sheets, nudging a half roused Killer from the middle of the bed to one side. That done Kid took to situating himself with a will, tangling his legs with that of his bed mate and situating his arms so he could comfortably pillow his head on the other man’s shoulder. That done he finally stilled, finding peace in the arrangement he’d made for himself.

It wasn’t particularly unusual to find his captain in his bed. For someone so violent and aggressive, in their private moments he was equally affectionate with those he liked. Killer supposed that meant Kid liked him a lot. Grunting, he followed the wordless directions he was given, slowly shifting into full consciousness. He turned to look down at Kid just as the taller man breathed out and Killer grunted in disapproval. “Your breath has smelled better,” he complained, then frowned. “...why do you smell like sex?”

Unperturbed by the judgement in his second’s voice or the implications behind his own words, Kid responded with a half shrug and a lazy, “‘Cause I sucked Trafalgar off twenty minutes ago.” Sure, maybe his breath smelled like come but he couldn’t tell himself and really, at the end of the day that was all he cared about. Killer could deal with it. Stretched out against the blonde Kid smirked, took a deep breath, and blew it out directly into Killer’s face just because he could.

Killer had known Kid long enough to anticipate what his next move would be and had already turned his head away. “Do you really think that’s a good idea?” He asked, once he judged the air to be safe enough to breathe again. Kid had made rash decisions since they’d met 15 years ago and he had to wonder why he ever expected his oldest friend to change now. Still, Killer could hope that every now and then the redhead would see reason.

Another shrug was Kid’s main response to that question. He didn’t particularly care if it was a good idea. What mattered is that it was a fun idea, a thrilling idea, a idea that empowered him, one that left him immersed in a sea of pleasure that went far beyond just having a fucking orgasm. Taking Law like that had been visceral, the sense of ownership and control he felt resonating with him on a subconscious level, “Who cares?”

“I care,” Killer replied, shifting to level his intense gaze at Kid. “He’s dangerous. And creepy. I haven’t been able to find out a thing about him before he became a Supernova. Don’t you find that strange?” Kid enjoyed the rumor mill, but he wasn’t one for actual research. That fell to Killer, and he found it useful to find out what he could about their rivals. It was unsettling to him that nothing older than a year or two existed about Trafalgar Law. Not even the newspapers that had access to records and loved printing articles about the infamous Worse Generation could find anything.

“Not really,” Kid drawled. Now that he was in bed, warm and comfortable and calm, he could feel lethargy setting in. Killer was much more substantial than Law, gave him more to entangle himself with. “Anyway,” he continued on then, tone bored as though they were talking about something mundane, “I like that he’s dangerous and creepy.”

“You know, in the wild, things that are poisonous have certain colors to keep predators away. You’re like a colorblind predator trying to eat a poisonous snake that is clearly displaying warning signs,” Killer replied, though his tone was much more deadpan than he felt. Kid was a handful at the best of times and he was like a dog with a bone when it came to something he wanted. Trafalgar was dangerous, he was sure of that. He just didn’t want to see his captain getting dragged into what was sure to be a mess when they were finally in the New World and making progress on reaching Raftel.

“Promise I’ll take him out with me if I go,” with a little wiggle, Kid got his arm up under the small of Killer’s back and pulled himself in just a little bit closer. They’d been doing this for… shit, years, at this point. Almost a decade? Killer was safe, he was warm, and half the time when he was younger those were the two things Kid lacked the most. His best friend could nag all he wanted, Kid could tune that out. He’d be fine as long as Killer never tried to ban him from his bed.

“That’s not funny, Kid.” There was really nothing else he could say. His captain was likely half asleep by now and he never listened to his warnings anyway. Killer just sighed and shifted until he was comfortable again. At least right now everyone he cared about was safe. With Kid, that was all he could ever really ask for.


	10. *Respect Is Earned

The yearly ritual seemed to have served its purpose. The next morning Law felt more focused than he had in a long time and set about his usual tasks of listening to local gossip and gathering what information seemed relevant. The matter of the Eternal Pose was settled as well, and having the option to immediately sail to Dressrosa was as enticing as it was dangerous. 

He kept his distance from Kid and his crew intentionally; that night on the beach had been enjoyable but he couldn’t let himself become too distracted from his main goal. It had been hard to admit to himself just how big of a distraction the other captain had become, which made the separation all the more necessary. 

After his first week on the island, Law came across an interesting article. There had been one already, almost immediately after the Marines discovered Lorenzo and his companions had been slaughtered, calling Law a rabid dog and demanding his immediate arrest. This one, however, seemed to show him in a different light.

Some of the women who had been rescued had come forward, explaining that Lorenzo Raishan had been an abusive sex trafficker dealing in both women and children. The allegations were horrifying enough that Akainu himself had spoken to the press, which was almost unheard of. The Admiral explained that his cousin’s actions were not something he approved of and Law got the impression that they were not as close as Lorenzo had implied. Law was still a target for justice since he had still committed murder, but just like that public opinion about the whole thing seemed to have shifted. It wasn’t that Law cared what the public thought of him, but at least it seemed he wouldn’t be pursued so readily.

On Kid’s end of things, he was having a rather leisurely week. The log pose wouldn’t reset for another six days and it was always his crew that did the bulk of on-island work - he was too damn conspicuous to do much unless they were looking to really attract attention. So he spent his days wandering, partaking of the local food and drink, overseeing maintenance and restocking work on the ship, and generally being a thorn in Killer’s side. (That was one of his favorite pastimes, to be honest.) 

Every time his second made another derisive comment about his decision to indulge in some alone time with Trafalgar Law, Kid just felt more and more incentive to do it again. But beyond that, a question he’d had back on Sabaody had bubbled up again now that he’d had a bit of a respite from murdering slavers and mourning his dead sister - why the hell had Law decided to waste time and resources saving Straw Hat Luffy? 

Getting an answer to that question was what drove him to actually put some effort into seeking out Law again. It found him lounging somewhat insolently against the dock that held the Polar Tang as twilight started to settle in around the island, playing with a piece of metal he was twisting around the fingers of his right hand as he waited. 

Law was alone when he returned from his excursion into port and he almost wished he wasn’t. Having one of his crew with him would keep him on track, but being alone he couldn’t push down the urge to break the self-imposed silence between them. “Miss me?” He asked with a smug grin as he approached the other captain, coming to lean against the railing beside him.

“Something like that,” pushing himself off the log he’d been resting against, Kid shrugged and - quick as lightning - flung the small piece of metal directly at Law’s face. He had questions, wanted answers, and had been bored the last two days, so he’d come to get them. Not that he planned on admitting as much to the other Supernova.

There wasn’t enough time to use his power to stop whatever it was Kid has just flung at his face, but Law was quick enough to block it with his hand. “Careful, Kid. Where I come from, that’s a declaration of war,” Law commented seriously in spite of the fact he was absolutely bullshitting. Something seemed… off, about Kid. Like he was here for a purpose rather than just their usual banter.

That only made Kid laugh, twitching his fingers to recall his little chunk of metal to him. “We did things backwards,” there was tension in the lines of his body, but it wasn’t because he was anxious or on edge. The smirk that touched his lips made it clear Kid was interested in something, “Fucked _before_ we fought. Isn’t that shit supposed to go the other way around?” 

Closing the gap between them Kid reached out and traced from Law’s ear down to his throat, fingers tensing with the urge to wrap around that fragile part of him and squeeze just enough to see what kind of reaction he’d get. Maybe later that was something he could manage. As is he cupped the side of Law’s neck, using his thumb to push the other man’s chin up and force eye contact, “So we fight. Like we should have gotten to do on Sabaody, before the Marines ruined the party. I win, you tell me why you wasted time and energy saving Straw Hat. You win, you get my cock.”

Law didn’t oppose Kid getting into his personal space. He’d tell the redhead that was a feat since he let so few get close to him, but there was no use inflating his ego. He made himself pliable, offering his throat in invitation until Kid made it clear he was after something else. This really was a dangerous game he was playing; he shouldn’t want his rival so much. “That doesn’t sound like much motivation. What if I wanted a different reward?” The best thing he could do was to keep his desire to himself - or at least try to.

His grin was dangerous, body itching for an actual challenge and damn if Law wasn’t one hell of those. Sure, Kid was sure if he asked Killer that the blonde would rake him over the coals for suggesting fighting Law was the “safe” route to take in regards to blowing off some steam, but really… Killer would always find something to scold him for. He really was the mother of the group. “Name it,” Kid responded then, still smirking as he bent down to whisper in Law’s ear, drawing his tongue over the tender shell once he’d finished speaking, “What do you want from me, Law?”

There were a lot of things he could name. But sex meant getting too close to Kid and Law still wasn’t sure that was the best approach. Half of his brain told him that having that connection might mean Kid was more susceptible to an alliance but the other half chimed in and reminded him that anything he valued was something that could be used against him and should be avoided. He cared about his crew and that was enough to weigh on his conscience already. Safer, for now, to choose something platonic. “I want a secret. Something substantial, not whatever your favorite food is or something inane like that.”

Easy enough request - Kid could give him something benign that sounded like the whole truth, “Fine.” His grin was voracious, hungry and eager as he nodded his head down the beach - funny, how closely this was mimicking their earlier encounter, “There’s a sheltered inlet a little way down, let’s go have some fun.” The truth of the matter was, while Kid was confident he was going to have a good time he wasn’t one hundred percent certain he would be the clear victor. What he did know he’d be getting was further clarity on how Law fought and the true breadth of his abilities and at the end of the day, well... that was something even more important than the win. At least, for this particular battle.

With a nod, Law turned and headed to the inlet Kid had mentioned. This part of the island wasn’t as overrun with tourists and he recalled the area as being a little too rocky for beachgoers to choose as a good place for a bonfire. Having to scare off some locals looking for a good time was inconvenient so Law was grateful to see that the area was empty once they arrived. “What would you call a win? First blood? Unconsciousness?” He knew Kid was right behind him, so he didn’t bother turning when he spoke, arms crossed as he surveyed the area to determine the most advantageous position. 

The question struck Kid as interesting, but he was careful to think things through before he responded. Coming to a stop behind Law, he let one free hand trace down the other man’s spine as he considered his answer, the touches confident and possessive. First blood was initially appealing since Law’s power didn’t leave physical wounds, but all he would need to do is steal an arm and nick it with his blade and the fight would be over - like hell Kid was going to lose over a scratch. 

“First blood’s out,” he commented then, dry, “too easy.” As for his other options… as tempting as it would be to fight to unconsciousness, that was a bit too reckless even for him. He was alone here, his men didn’t know where he was, and if Law did manage to knock him out first there was no saying he’d be safe while he was out of it, “So’s unconsciousness. I’d be too tempted to do awful things to you while you were out.” 

“Mm, agreed. Save the awful things for when I’m awake,” Law replied, still not bothering to turn and glance at Kid. At this point he wanted the other captain to be offended by it; here they were, talking about fighting, and he was so unruffled he wasn’t even bothering to cover his back. 

The two most obvious options discounted, Kid considered other ways they could measure success. First one pinned had the same issues as first blood - Law could just disassemble him, then rearrange him where he wanted, it played too easy into his hand. But… there was always one good old standby, wasn’t there? That was the offer Kid put on the table, “We fight to exhaustion.”

That suggestion made Law frown. From what his research had told him, his power was one of few that actually used up his energy in exchange for its use. He’d been down for months following Straw Hat’s surgery, and though he didn’t anticipate needing to use up that much power in this little duel, it was still likely he’d be weak for a day or so while he recovered. There was no way he could admit to that, though; that would be broadcasting a weakness and Law was always careful to avoid doing that whenever possible. There was nothing to do but agree. “Fine. Exhaustion.” 

Kid grinned at that immediately, “Perfect.” If there was one word that unequivocally described him, it was stubborn. Even if Law managed to get him to the point where every muscle in his body was screaming for the sweet release of a dirt nap Kid would force his way through it. This was his fight to lose and he sure as hell was not going to let that happen. “Let’s go,” he commanded then, giving Law a shove to push him out a bit farther and get him to turn around.

Using the momentum from Kid’s shove, Law took a step forward and activated his power simultaneously, the blue glow enclosing both them and their surroundings in a fifty foot circle. He moved himself to the edge of the space and faced his rival now, patiently watching him to see what he would do. Law knew Kid had some metal on him, but for the most part there was little in their surroundings for him to use as a projectile. The biggest thing he had to watch out for was the redhead using Kikoku against him, but he was prepared for that.

Oh, but there was more than one reason Kid had chosen this particular area for their fight. All along the beach, puddled around the rocks that dotted the landscape, was the gorgeous black sand he often made use of - it was actually one of the first things he’d learned to manipulate with his power. Ironsand was common all throughout the Grand Line and here it was now, ready to listen to his whispers again. Calling his power to him, Kid just twitched his fingers slightly and grinned as a miniature tornado of gritty, painful little grains of sand swirled into life between the two of them. 

...huh. Law wasn’t used to being wrong. Misjudging Kid’s character was one thing, but mistaking the makeup of their surroundings was another entirely. His power granted him the ability to manipulate the location of everything enclosed in his Room and theoretically that meant he could move each grain of sand where he wanted it. But unlike Kid, whose power worked in broad strokes so that _everything_ metallic moved as one, Law had to focus on each individual piece. Which meant manipulating sand was out of the question; if he did that, he wouldn’t have the focus to do anything else. 

The best thing he could do was make himself harder to hit. The beach they were currently occupying was shaped on one side by the ocean and on the other a cliff about ten foot tall. Drawing his sword, Law turned and quickly slashed three times in that direction, breaking off large pieces of stone before slipping the blade back into its sheath. That done, he relocated the vertical slabs of rock onto the beach between them, setting up obstacles to make it harder for Kid to either see or reach him.

The sound of Kid’s voice floated easily enough through the obstacles Law set in his way, rich in its amusement, “You should build houses.” With another cackle Kid threw himself upward, catching the edge of one rock in his fingertips and pulling himself upwards until he could stand on top of it, unfurling to reach his full height. “Thanks for the vantage point,” he crooned, sending his sand tornado skittering in Law’s direction at a surprisingly fast clip. At this point he was mostly still playing - he anticipated losing a body part at some point or another and as much as he hated that idea he had his own plans for how to handle the situation. 

There hadn’t been enough time to cut the stone as thickly as he would have liked; Law was careful not to leave his sword unsheathed for long (though he was fairly certain Kid could still manipulate the metal through the sheathe). It was only a few inches thick, scant enough for him to be impressed that the bigger man could balance on it. He switched his position then, from the far side of his Room to the other side of the stone slab Kid stood on. “That sounds a little too bland for my taste,” Law replied from his new position, pressing his palm against the rock and pushing it over with the help of his power. He remained where he was until Kid had started to topple before using Shambles once more to hide behind one of the two slabs that were still standing, breaking his line of sight and waiting.

The moment the rock gave way Kid knew he wasn’t going to be able to ride it down - it was too thin. Lucky for him the drop wasn’t all that long considering his own height, so he hopped down into the sand with a rather elegant tuck and roll at the end. Clearly Law was playing too but either one of them could turn away from that on a dime. 

Kid decided that was going to be him, before Law had the chance to take him by surprise. Going for the obvious target first, Kid came up behind the second stone block and shoved his considerable weight into it, smirking as it started to tremble and then finally fall. Law was going to have to do better than this if he really wanted to defend himself. 

Moving around whenever one position became inconvenient was so blissfully easy like this and it didn’t really use up that much energy. The second the slab he was behind started trembling, Law moved to the third one. This was child’s play for Kid, that much he was sure of, but he was still wasting time expending energy trying to find Law. That worked just fine for him. 

The annoying part was the fact that there was only one place left to hide and it happened to be where Kid had sent his incredibly irritating sandstorm. It was only an irritation, the sand not moving fast enough to rip through his skin, but it wasn’t something he wanted to stand near forever. 

Second rock done with Kid smirked and casually dusted himself off, idly wondering how pissed Law would be if it looked like Kid was genuinely trying to break his sword. One of the lovely things about his power was its range - it didn’t required line of sight to work, just a close enough proximity. He could feel Law’s sword humming, easily within reach. Time to show his rival that he should be careful where he leaves things. Activating his power again Kid directed it at the weapon this time, yanking hard and sending it flying directly at the remaining rock.

Law could feel the vibrations from where Kikoku was resting in the crook of his arm and he frowned. Carrying this must be like a beacon to Kid - at that moment he got an idea. Instead of moving from behind the slab that was shielding him from view, he flicked a finger upward to raise the first one that had been knocked over and moved Kikoku behind it before it could be fully pulled from his grip. If that was what Kid was paying attention to he would notice it change position and think Law followed with it. Remembering the metal in his ears, Law dropped all four earrings in the sand next to his sword for good measure.

The sound of Law’s sheathed sword clanging sharply - even aggressively, one could say - into the rock was music to Kid’s ears. He just wanted to bang it up a little, leave his mark, see if he could get Law riled. He was, of course, acutely aware of the change in position his target made but couldn’t sense too much beyond that, other than that Law seemed to be laying on the ground. 

For the first time, Kid felt frustration toward the rock slabs; you certainly couldn’t call something a fucking fight if you couldn’t see your damn enemy. This was a game of cat and mouse and Kid didn’t find himself particularly feline. But, the rational part of his brain told him he had to put up with it - even if he destroyed these, Law would just carve out more. How to tire him out… that was the question. That was what he needed to focus on. “Oops,” the insincerity in his voice was completely obvious, “sorry about that.”

Without speaking or moving, Law remained where he was. The position of the irritating sandstorm hadn’t shifted yet, but he would take that as a sign of his success. If Kid didn’t fall for it, he’d come up with something. He could take a few hits if it came to that, and his speed was greater than Kid’s so he could easily get away if he needed to. 

“What are you planning…?” Kid singsonged as he swept wide, stepping back toward the water so he could get some distance and a better vantage point at what was around both remaining rocks. As he inched far enough back to see what was actually on the other side of the rock in question he just laughed, flicking his hand and yanking Kikoku into his palm, “So, we can tell you’re not a swordsman.”

Law was fairly certain he’d be able to play cat and mouse forever. Unless Kid had seastone or was willing to actually try to hurt him, he was difficult to catch and actually defeat considering his ability to manipulate the position of everything in his Room. But he was growing bored with this game of keepaway, so he shifted once more, moving himself until he was sitting on Kid’s shoulders. Moving quickly, he tucked his legs around the redhead’s back for balance and leaned forward against the top of his head. “You’re being more careful than I’m used to. It’s kind of boring.”

At Law’s sudden reappearance Kid growled, his automatic reaction to being startled. Snapping his hand up on reflex in an attempt to hit the intruder with his own sword, the burly man also threw himself down into a tuck and roll in an attempt to dislodge the scrawny little fucker currently trying to ride him like a horse. Kid knew he hated Law’s power for a reason and this is part of it - bastard, thinking it was okay to just flit around like a damn hummingbird or something. A respectable man didn’t scoot around to avoid a fight.

Law didn’t bother to avoid the blow from his sword, deflecting it with his forearm. While Kid’s momentum carried him forward, Law let himself bend backwards and push off the taller man’s shoulders, catching himself with his palms on the ground and sending his feet over his head, tucking into a back handspring before regaining his feet. “We could probably do this forever, you know. You won’t catch me like this, and I don’t tire easily.”

Kid was analyzing his surroundings, ignoring his target for a moment as he tried to figure out how to get the upper hand on Law. He wasn’t going to lose, not this early and not this easy. What was the biggest issue at hand? His inability to consistently know Law’s location. There had to be a weakness in him somewhere, there had to be…That was when it struck him. The blue glow that encircled them. He knew Law’s range down to the inch. He knew that the scrawny bastard had to be somewhere in this circle.

It was then, with a grin, that the solution hit him, “Nothing says I need to catch you.” Kid called his tornado to him then, dispersing it in bits and pieces until the entire inside of Law’s room was covered in a thin layer of ironsand about knee high - low enough to avoid him being able to crouch under it and still move with any ease. He didn’t need to _see_ where Law was if he could sense it - he’d notice a disturbance in the field of sand immediately. 

When the ironsand began to shift, Law braced himself in case he needed to dodge out of the way. Once it became clear he was in no danger, he let his muscles relax and watched the tiny particles of sand as they hovered. Instead of being frustrated by the fact Kid had figured out how to subvert his ability to easily hide, Law felt himself smiling. Anyone who thought the redhead was nothing more than a mindless brute had clearly never crossed paths with him. “Clever.”

“Tch,” was all Kid responded, though the huge grin on his face made it clear that he enjoyed the compliment. He watched Law with wary eyes then, Kikoku spinning in a lazy circle through his fingers as he tried to weed out the other man’s next moves. “You’re a bit of a pain,” the comment held no heat, no anger to it at all. It was delivered without the grin falling from Kid’s face - his own brand of faint praise for his challenger. 

“So I’ve been told,” Law agreed easily, considering his options from here. Even if Kid would always know where he was, he was still practically untouchable. The questions was how to make the other captain admit defeat. It wouldn’t be too difficult to remove his heart; he didn’t even need Kikoku for that. However, something about that felt too aggressive for what was, for all intents and purposes, a friendly sparring match. “Knowing where I am is only half the battle,” Law drawled, shifting his position so he was perched atop the more steady of the two remaining stone slabs. “I don’t see how you’ll beat me to exhaustion by staring at me.” 

“Could say the same for you,” came the retort, Kid pulling a handful of little iron balls from one of the pockets in his coat. He was able to send them all flying at Law with nothing more than a simple thought and a quiet word - though he knew that the other man would just relocate himself somewhere else within the blue glow all Kid had to do was keep sending the bits of metal chasing after him. He wondered how long Law would play that game, was curious if it would actually tire him out at all.

“Should we implement a new rule, then?” Law questioned as he ducked down behind the rock to avoid the metal. “I’d rather not be here all night.” There were a lot of ways to make this more interesting; both of them having long range capabilities meant that this fight had the potential to be never-ending, especially since neither of them were intent on actually doing harm. Law had an idea on how to make it more fun, to say the least. “How about this: same end goal, but I don’t use my power and you don’t use yours.” Before Kid could speak, Law reached out and pulled Kikoku away from the other man, not wanting to go back on his word and summon it to his side after they’d come to an agreement not to use their powers.

Oh, but that was a fucking delight and the utter glow that came over Kid’s face at the suggestion made that clear. Ironsand fell to the ground in a perfect black circle as he crossed his arms. Relinquishing the sword without complaint Kid only laughed, running one hand through his still unbound hair. (Damn, that’s right, I need new goggles.) “You wanna lose,” he asked then, cocky in his confidence, “or you just wanna be under me that badly again?”

Law was fully aware he was not as physically strong as Kid. He was also not one for choosing to lose on purpose. He was wily and being pinned wasn’t the condition for winning, it was exhaustion. Even without his power he was fast, and his medical background meant he knew all the weak points a human had, even one as muscular and powerful as Kid. He was fairly certain he could hold his own long enough to make it interesting. There was a deeper drive for wanting to fight this way, too, but that was something he didn’t feel necessary to share. “Are we agreed?” By now, Law was smirking as well, sword held loosely in the crook of his elbow. 

The only response Law got was a wicked grin and a lunge, Kid throwing himself forward to see if he could catch the other man off guard enough to grapple him to the ground. Oh but this, this is something he and his men still do for fun, tumbling across the deck until Killer sighs and yells at them for almost - or actually - breaking this, that or the other thing. Besides, he didn’t like wasting his power on those who didn’t merit its use - breaking someone’s neck was more efficient, half the time. He wanted to feel Law squirming under him and he set to it with a will, spinning to right himself and go after the smaller man again after he dodged Kid’s first attempt. 

Keeping his sword sheathed, Law used it to keep Kid at bay, swinging it out lightning quick and forcing the bigger man to move or be hit. Not that he couldn’t take a few hits, Law was sure, but he wasn’t as weak as he looked and the sword wasn’t just for show. It would hurt after a while and when Kid did choose to dodge it kept him far enough away that he wasn’t so much at risk of being tackled. 

Though his strategy worked for awhile, it was bound to happen that he’d lose the benefit of the distance between them. Kid’s brute strength was enough to take a few hits and get in close enough that Kikoku’s length become bothersome; it was nearly useless at close quarters. Law felt the sword wrenched from his grip and almost at the same time felt the sand against his back as he was swept off his feet, breath leaving him all at once from the impact.

An eager cackle filled the air around them then, Kid riding Law down as he fell with knees spread to either side of the man’s slim hips. For certain Law wasn’t exhausted yet, but Kid knew he’d get him there just by watching him struggle to escape. Shooting his hands up the redhead wrapped his thick fingers around tanned, fragile wrists and slammed them both into the ground as well, eyes alight with pleasure as he looked down at his prey.

Sucking in a breath, Law pulled his knees up and outward, then dug his heels into Kid’s lower back over where he knew his kidneys would be, kicking hard once he’d found his mark. This was certainly not over and he wasn’t about to struggle and flail uselessly. The point was to conserve energy, and it took less energy to kick the redhead in the kidneys than it did to try and pull himself free from his grasp.

At that Kid grunted, a grimace touching his face for a moment as he glared down at Law. He didn’t particularly enjoy getting kicked in tender spots, even if he could deal with it easily enough. He had to get the bastard rolled over then, onto his belly where Kid could pretzel him up and render him basically immobile. He set to that with a will then, trying to do so without taking too much risk of letting the other man scramble free.

The benefits of being a doctor and a pirate was that he specifically studied what to do in situations where he was rendered nearly immobile. Knowing all the tender spots and how to cause the most damage to them was immensely helpful. It wasn’t just the kidneys he went after; when Kid shifted his grip, Law snatched his hand and squeezed one of his bent fingers to loosen his grip further. If he could manage to scramble away and get to Kikoku again, this whole process would start over and with Kid being the aggressor, he was certainly using more of his energy than Law was by simply keeping a distance between them.

Kid might have snarled a bit in pain then, but he could take a broken finger if need be - it wasn’t anywhere near enough pain to coerce him into letting go. He grappled with Law, using his other arm to shove an elbow into the swell of Law’s throat and press hard, hoping to take enough wind out of him to flip him over with relative ease. He did like watching the way men’s eyes widened when they were starved for air, the way they scrabbled and panicked for it in fear. To be honest, though, he doubted that Law was weak enough to give that to him - not yet, anyway.

Being choked wasn’t a sensation that was foreign to him, so Law didn’t panic. Conserving his air, he jammed his heel back down into Kid’s lower back on the right side and jabbed his thumb directly underneath the redhead’s right ear. He hoped that using two pressure points on the same side would make the other man’s balance shift enough to throw him off. 

For a brief, crazy second Kid had to wonder if Law actually was getting off on this? There was this strange, hazy _pleasure_ in his eyes that hit Kid like a train, surprising him so much that for a moment he teetered, body starting to arc to the side at Law’s pestering, insistent little jabs. Damn, but this man was gorgeous in his own fucked up way. As Kid felt his body start to fizz, sharp pain shooting up his right side and a pulsing throb starting to form behind his ear he flattened himself out instead of falling to the side, dropping his considerable weight directly onto Law instead of balancing above him. “Fucking brat,” he murmured into the other man’s ear as they lay pressed chest to thigh, scrabbling to pull Law’s wrists back into his hands.

With Kid’s weight suddenly dropped onto his chest Law grunted softly, tucking his arms to his sides rather than letting them be captured in the redhead’s grip. He’d made this suggestion as practice for a fight he was sure to come later but there was something about the fact that there was really no danger here that made it almost erotic. Add to it that he wasn’t being pinned for an expressly sexual purpose almost made it that much more arousing. This attraction to Kid really was getting to be too distracting. “Not as easy as you thought it would be?” Law teased, somewhat breathlessly.

“Doesn’t mean I won’t win,” came the cutting response. Kid was curious if he could take this in another direction, the sensation of Law’s cock slowly but surely starting to harden against his pelvis confirming what he previously thought, “Anyway, you’re getting off on this, weirdo.” Pushing himself up only slightly, just enough to allow Law a slightly easier time breathing, Kid changed course with his hands and fisted one tightly in the mop of dark hair, yanking back sharply. His free hand snaked down their combined bodies, tangling around the thin wrist pressed tight against Law’s hip, “So I win either way.”

Though the pull on his hair was sharp, Law didn’t let it tilt his head back. Instead, he grinned wide enough to show his teeth, eyes glinting a challenge. “So?” Rolling his hips up against Kid’s, he allowed his wrist to be caught again. It wasn’t impossible to get free, he’d done it before. Far from giving up, Law was only hoping the distraction would give him an opening. “Getting off wasn’t what you wanted for winning, so I don’t see how that means you win either way.”

The look in his eyes was wicked, sharp, like he knew he had something over on Law that was rare and important. “‘Cause you want me,” he said as though it was obvious, that the sheer fact Law desired him was enough to concede Kid’s victory if not in this particular scenario than at least in general. Power in desire… there was so much power in being desired. Kid thrived on it, that sensation of being wanted, of being seen. He loved how he could make Law’s body react on instinct, send his head spinning. There was such a thrill to it, “No matter what I do to you.” 

“Mm,” Law hummed in a non-committal way, as though trying to convey that what Kid just said wasn’t absolutely true. Before he could get another word out, Law pulled his free arm between them and dug his fingers into the muscle that ran from Kid’s neck to his shoulder, twisting his grip slightly just to make sure the other man could feel it. He could talk all he wanted about how Law was getting off on this but nothing said he wasn’t still trying to win. 

Sure, Kid felt it, but he’d taken so many blows to that general area throughout the years that it registered only as annoying, rather than really painful. Dipping his head back down Kid forced Law’s head to the side and sank his teeth in without warning, biting deep into the junction of Law’s neck and right shoulder - turnabout's fair play after all and all that. As the tang of copper filled his mouth Kid grinned, drinking in the way Law moved under him in response. 

When Kid didn’t react the way he wanted him to Law’s fingers moved back to the spot under his ear. He let his head jerk to the side as his thumb found the spot he was looking for, but the sudden feeling of teeth piercing his skin and the warm gush of blood pooling down his shoulder caused his fingers to stutter. What an inconvenient time to be turned on.

Kid was sure that Law felt more than actually heard the chuckle that reverberated in Kid’s throat, tickled beyond belief at how easy it was to bring his fellow captain to heel. He bit in deeper then, savoring the sensation of blood smeared over his teeth and tongue. As far as Kid was concerned he had won - sure, maybe neither one of them were going to wind up exhausted but it was pretty clear who came out on top in this situation. 

He paused long enough for Kid to know he was enjoying himself but that was it. Law dug his thumb into the pressure point behind Kid’s jaw with a renewed fervor. He wasn’t supposed to be enjoying this, damn it. He wasn’t supposed to be wasting his time. There were plans to make, after all. Once he pressed hard enough that Kid released his neck from between his teeth, Law shifted and leveraged himself up slightly so he could headbutt the redhead, grateful he wasn’t wearing his usual goggles. 

“Pinchy bastard,” Kid growled under his breath, yanking his head back just in time to catch wind of what Law was about to do. But, fun fact, Kid had more room than Law and took advantage of it, rearing back immediately before crashing his own skull into the other man’s with much more force than Law could muster in his confined space. It made his head spin but he’d been prepared for it, grounding himself with fists pressed into the sand on either side of Law’s arms. Forcing air out through his nose in a steady stream Kid waited until he was fairly certain his world wouldn’t spin before he chose to move, pulling back again and grabbing at Law’s body to turn the slender man onto his belly.

It had been a calculated risk, one that might have worked if Kid hadn’t caught on to what he’d been planning in time to act. Law’s vision blackened for a moment, head buzzing and pounding from his forehead all the way down his spine. Kid was able to move him like a rag doll, having recovered first, and Law found himself pinned on his stomach with his cheek grinding into the rough grit of the sand. Still dazed, he didn’t really react other than to blink until his vision cleared.

Kid made quick work of Law then, a glint in his eyes as he ground Law’s face into the sand and wrenched his hands up behind his back, using the sash at his waist to bind the other man’s wrists together deftly, in knots that would only grow tighter as Law struggled against them. It was amazing, just how good the man looked like this, bound and trapped. At that Kid scooted backwards, situating himself to sit overtop of Law’s knees and place his hands around slim hips - far enough back to stop him from kicking, but with enough control at Law’s midsection to stop him from turning over.

For now, being held down like this was fine. He wasn’t really smothered, just pinned down. Though it wasn’t easy, Law could lift his legs slightly and shift his shoulders back and forth. It was enough for now, though once his head truly cleared he began testing his boundaries by jerking his legs up, trying to kick at Kid. When that didn’t work he transitioned to lifting his torso up as much as he possible, twisting back and forth and just generally trying to knock the other man off balance enough to roll over. 

Kid rode out Law’s struggles with ease - he was like a dazed and confused horse, bucking without real intent. It was fun to watch and Kid amused himself with it for several minutes before acknowledging that really, it was his job to finish things off at this point. Leaning forward Kid pressed his body to Law’s back, fitting his frame against the smaller one below him and pinning him from shoulder to ankle, “I’ll wait here until you give up.”

Closing his eyes, Law stilled and breathed in through his nose, trying to stay even. This was a stupid idea. He shouldn’t have let it get to this. There was nothing to do but lay here, nothing to focus on but the weight of Kid on his back, pushing him into the sand. Though he was doing his best to just lay still and focus, his face started to burn like fire ants were tunneling just below the surface of his skin. He inhaled sand in an attempt to take a deeper breath and it felt like his throat was constricting of its own accord. 

Law wanted to hold out and withstand this, get his bearings again and maybe pull his hands free. It was annoying, but he could dislocate his thumb if he needed to to pull free of his bindings. He could get sand in Kid’s eyes, squirm free, do anything but lay here. Somehow, all his energy had left him, sapped as surely as he’d been laying in sea water. Before he could make a fool of himself, he spat the sand out of his mouth and spoke. “Let me up. You win.” His tone was even and measured, wooden. Determined not to let Kid see his panic. 

For all that he was wild and careless, a brute force smashing his way through the world - at least, according to the papers - Kid could be respectful of others when he wanted to be. Law admitting defeat was one of those times; they’d made an agreement, he’d won, and now he wanted to collect his reward. 

Pressing himself back and up with ease, Kid cackled, the merry little sound of victory floating through the air as he set to untying Law’s wrists. That done he stood fully, winding his sash back around his waist as he looked down at the other captain, curled delicately at his feet, “At least you can admit it like a man.” 

Yet as he waited for a response something struck Kid then, left him feeling confused and almost winded. It wasn’t just that Law looked lean, small, or fragile against the sand. It wasn’t that he was narrow or slim... In this dim light, from this angle, in this moment, something about Law seemed... frail. But Kid couldn’t pinpoint why, or what, brought that realization to fruition but it left him on edge.

Even after he was freed, Law remained still in the sand. He took several deep breaths, lungs expanding fully now that Kid was no longer keeping him compressed. The burning sensation in his face receded almost immediately, and once he was certain his arms wouldn’t shake, Law pushed himself up. His expression wasn’t one of panic or stress, neutral and calm and almost a little annoyed. “You weigh a ton,” he complained, crossing his legs as he sat in the sand considering the taller man. “What was it you wanted, again?”

He heard Law’s question but the answer came a bit slow, Kid’s head muddled as it scrambled for some reason - any reason - for why it felt like he _cared_ that Law seemed frail. As it looked for an explanation as to why that worried him at all. It was like whiplash, the intensity of the feeling and it was all compounded by the fact he couldn’t figure out why he’d had the thought to begin with. 

With a frustrated little twitch of his head Kid schooled his features and demanded his mind into calm submission, looking down at Law with a dry chuckle. He considered changing his request for a moment seeing as how apparently the other man didn’t remember their deal but to be honest, he still wanted the answer to his original question. Kid chose then to sink down into the sand across from Law, easily mimicking their first night spent on a beach together, “The truth about why you saved Straw Hat.”

“It’s not really that interesting,” Law replied immediately. To be honest, he wasn’t really sure why he did it, just that it felt right. He knew very little about the Will of D, but part of him wondered if that was the mysterious link between them, tethering him to Straw Hat and urging him to save someone he had no other connection to. That wasn’t exactly an answer he could give, though. “I just like fucking with the marines when I can.”

“Bullshit,” Kid called him out on that immediately, lifting his hand from a pocket and flicking one of his little spheres directly at Law’s forehead. From this range his aim was perfect, even without using his power to direct it, “You’re not dumb enough to have waded into that shit just to get your jollies off.”

Scrunching his nose in annoyance as the metal ball bounced off his forehead, Law rubbed at the spot and frowned. “Have you ever heard of the Will of D?” The words were out before he could process it. This wasn’t the first time he’d slipped and said more than he meant to. Why was it that he was so subconsciously comfortable with this unpredictable man that all his secrets poured out of him like a sieve? 

That made Kid frown slightly, thinking through the seemingly somewhat inane question for a moment before mustering a response. Sure he’d heard mention of people with that middle initial being important in some way, but that was about it. “It’s some fable,” he decided to go with then, curious to see if Law would contradict or corroborate his words, “people with the initial D. are all supposed to be special.”

“Something like that, yeah,” Law agreed, his words coming out as a mumble, still irritated with himself for bringing it up. “Straw Hat has a D. in his name. So did his brother. I guess I felt… like they hadn’t done whatever they were supposed to do.” It still felt like a weak excuse, but even Law recognized it had a spark of truth to it. 

Humming softly, Kid took a moment to think through that answer from a few different angles. Part of him wanted to comment on the stupidity of saving your rival just so he could potentially turn into your enemy. Another thought it best to remark on how fucking idiotic it was to wade into a war that wasn’t your own to protect someone you didn’t even care about all because of some fantastical story. But he didn’t go with either of those - at the end of the day, it still felt like there was something missing, like Law hadn’t shared the entirety of his reasoning just yet, “You’re still leaving shit out. That wasn’t the deal, Law.”

“Oh, was being honest part of the deal? You should have specified.” His response was perhaps more acidic than he’d intended. It wasn’t really Kid’s fault that he couldn’t keep his shit to himself. Law still couldn’t process why he brought up such a secret in the first place. It wasn’t just his parents who told him to keep it to himself but also Cora-san who had given a similar warning. What was it he found so trustworthy about Eustass Kid?

The look in Kid’s eyes went flat then, most of the light in them blinking out in an instant, “Oh, right. I’ll keep that in mind, Trafalgar.” What the hell was wrong with him? Kid felt on edge all the sudden, itchy under his skin. Here he was, fucking around with another member of the Worst Generation, getting all cosy and sharing some really intimate shit about his own history - idiot, wasn’t he, for having brought up Kat the other night - and the prick across from him couldn’t even bother to pretend they were on level with one another. 

Kid hated feeling like a fucking fool. Mentioning Kat had been bad enough, but if this had gone on would he have been stupid enough to bring up Yara or talk about Lyssa? His luck, Law - Trafalgar - already had a decent idea about the broad strokes of his childhood - what had he even been thinking, allowing him to hang around on their run to destroy that party back on Rocky Port? Fuck, but Killer was right; he was playing with fire and he needed to stop before he truly got burned.

Law had been telling himself he needed distance. That this closeness with Kid was a dangerous distraction and he had better things to do. He’d have time for this later, if he survived Dressrosa. But still, hearing Kid revert to using his last name and speaking with such a dull expression almost made him flinch. What the hell is wrong with him? Squeezing his eyes shut, Law took in a deep breath, exhaling all at once. “...it’s in my name, too. Trafalgar D. Law. That’s my…” Law stopped himself because what he’d been about to say was a lie too, wasn’t it? Why did he care about lying to Kid? Fuck. “Trafalgar D. Water Law. That’s my full name.” 

Kid had been halfway through pushing himself upright, about to call their little game off and get his focus set back where it belonged, but hearing those words from Law brought him back to his cross legged spot in the sand immediately, almost as though gravity had grabbed hold of his hips and yanked him down, stubborn in its insistence he wasn’t going anywhere. He gaped at Law for a moment then, clearly surprised and unable to hide it, opening and then closing his mouth once before his features contorted into a series of admittedly amusing confused looks until he finally found words. Or, rather, a word, “... Shit.”

“Where I grew up, those of us with a D. in our names were told to keep it a secret. Old habits, I guess…” Law trailed off and stared down at his lap, eyebrows pinched together in annoyance as he stared at his hands. Now he was making excuses for keeping something to himself, which he had every right to do. He’d have to check himself over later, make sure he wasn’t getting sick or something. 

“So you got something in common with Straw Hat, even though y’don’t really know what that thing is,” in an instant, things made sense to Kid. Law’s push to rescue the stretchy idiot, his decision to put himself and his crew in proximity to such unnecessary danger. As someone who was focused on the New World and Raftel, Law’s decision to backtrack had seemed hasty and dumb. But who could resist seeking out an explanation for who they were, for the secrets that never stopped swirling around their heads? Kid nodded then, settling down, the light bright in his eyes again, “I get that.”

Having come back to an understanding Law looked up, feeling calm again. Kid looked calmer too and Law pressed his hands back into the sand behind him, relaxing. “Do you? Any secret names you’re hiding? Your real name isn’t really Kid, is it?” Now that they’d come to an understanding, Law took the easy out presented to him. This wasn’t something he wanted to continue to discuss. What Kid had said hit too close to home - Law didn’t like not knowing the answers, didn’t want the truth behind his own motivations and desires to be anything more revenge. It muddied the waters too much and the more time he spent trying to find those answers, the less time he had to prepare for his main objective.

At that Kid laughed but it was sour, though the sound wasn’t really directed at Law. While he wasn’t really willing to get into the entirety of it at this point he realized he owed the other man something in return for what he’d just shared. “It is as far as I know,” he shrugged then, trying to maintain a casual demeanor as he spoke, “my parents had me for profit, if they called me anything else it was when I was too young to remember it.”

Law knew enough about Kid’s background and had gathered enough through context to understand what he meant by ‘for profit’. Had he known nothing, it would have been different; he would have asked what that meant. Farmers had several children to help in the fields, miners to have smaller bodies to reach difficult places. It could mean anything, but coupled with the facts he had already it wasn’t hard to fit the pieces together. For now, he left it alone. “Not very creative people, huh? ...you look like a Gunnar.” 

The laugh that engendered from Kid was immediate and and rang rich and true, clearly amused, “Yeah?” His face was alight, an easy compliment to the devilish look in his eyes, “I’ll make a deal with you. Whenever my dick’s in you, y’can call me whatever you want.” Law’s failure to probe at his words wasn’t missed and in that moment Kid’s respect for him grew instantly; it was nice to see he knew when to let certain things alone.

“You know, you keep talking a big game about your dick, but I’m starting to think it might not really exist,” Law teased, gathering Kikoku once he finished patting the sand off him then retreating to where he’d dropped his earrings to pick them up as well. Being pinned as he had been had dampened his earlier desire, but there was still a spark between them, interest growing with each encounter. It _was_ dangerous, but god was he enjoying himself anyway.

Kid kicked his feet out then, stretching his legs into the space previously occupied by Law as he leaned back on his elbows and flashed the other captain the cheekiest grin he could muster, “I love the game, Law.” His comments came easy, without shame, and rang so clear they were obviously true, “I love seeing you desperate for it. You’ll only get it when I’m satisfied with just how fucking desperate you really are. When you prove t’me that y’need it, not just that y’want it.”

“It’s cute you think I _need_ anything,” Law began, waiting until he was standing over Kid to brush the sand off his hands, childishly amused as he watched it rain down into Kid’s hair. It was late now and there were still things he wanted to accomplish for the evening, so Law turned before the other captain could retaliate and began the walk back to his ship. Before he was out of earshot but without pausing his gait, Law looked over his shoulder, smirking as he spoke. “Besides, isn’t it more satisfying to be wanted?”

Kid’s grin never faded even as he raised his hand to dust the sand from his hair. Fuck but this was fun, this was easy, this was light. Every meeting with Law somehow managed to leave him in better spirits even if all they chose to do was snipe at one another, “You don’t need anything _yet_ , you mean. Don’t worry, you’ll get there.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Akimao has graced us with some incredible art from this chapter!! Please check her out [ here!](http://akimao.tumblr.com/post/182064982561/youre-not-dumb-enough-to-have-waded-into-that) She is incredibly talented and kind, so for those of you who have a tumblr, please follow her!


	11. *Middle Fingers in the Sea

This particular island took eleven days to record in the log pose, and eight had already gone by. The past week had been spent listening to gossip, but just as importantly, making himself familiar to the people at the establishments he frequented. Before he’d ask any questions, he needed to at least not be a total stranger, otherwise the likelihood of getting any answers was slim. It was at one of the gambling dens that he finally decided to make a request; there was a particular group of men who he’d played with a few times and established himself as a low life like they were. He’d thrown a few games, too, just so they would trust him more. It was laughably easy to use his power to cheat, but it wouldn’t buy him any friends.

This morning, as with the past seven, Law had taken care to hide some of his more noticeable features. He wore plain clothes with no trace of his jolly roger and left Kikoku behind, opting instead to hide two daggers under his clothes. He wound bandages around his hands, effectively covering his tattoos, and opted not to wear his usual hat. If he wanted information about the associates of Lorenzo Raishan, he certainly couldn’t be recognized as the man who had killed him. 

Entering the den, a haze of smoke greeted him. The sickly sweet aroma reminded him that it wasn’t just cigars these men were smoking. Law knew the effects of opium well enough; he’d still been a teenager when he first learned about the information he could gather in these kinds of places. Stubborn, he’d stuck around a gambling pit waiting to overhear the details of a drug trade so he could pick up the cash for himself, but he’d stuck around too long. The effects of the smoke had made him drowsy and confused and he’d woken up somewhere he’d rather not have.

He’d since learned moderation in these kinds of places. 

Resisting the urge to bat away the smoke from around his face, Law descended leisurely down the set of stairs in the near-empty bar that hid the gambling den underneath. Another part of listening to gossip was finding where these places existed. A craggy-faced crone took a long drag on her cigar as he reached the bottom, milky eyes surveying him briefly. Once she’d confirmed he was allowed to enter, her lips parted in a grin, showing off her decaying teeth and oozing gums. The doctor in Law flinched at the state she was in, but his outward expression remained impassive, only nodding once when she gestured for him to continue. 

The volume of smoke seemed to have tripled once Law made his way into the large underground room. The dim lights were further diluted by the haze, but he knew the table he was looking for well enough by now. Raucous laughter became a hacking, phlegmy cough, and Law pasted a grin on his face now knowing that the man he was after was indeed present. 

“Lamarr, sounding healthy as ever,” Law teased as he materialized next to the man in question, carefully avoiding the spotted floor where Lamarr tended to spit all manner of questionable material. “Miss me?”

“Aye, well, look who it is,” the man laughed, clapping a clammy hand against Law’s back. “Dunno if I missed y’as much as I missed yer money, boy, if I’m bein’ honest.”

“Well, I’ve come here with more, so I suppose that means I must be your favorite person at the table right now.” Law turned deftly out of Lamarr’s grasp and slid into the chair next to him. The man’s only response was another round of laughter. Law had to wait nearly a minute for him to finish coughing before he was dealt in. 

The first few rounds passed with the usual jabs at poorly played hands and Law forced himself to be more conversational than he usually bothered to be. He was careful to mimic Lamarr, teasing the men he taunted, coming to his defense when things went south and the teasing turned to him. 

After he’d been there for nearly an hour, two of the other men at the table pushed back and stumbled away to the small room at the back that barely passed for a restroom. A reeking pit in the ground was a more appropriate description. The only people who spent any time in that corner were so far gone Law doubted they could smell much of anything anymore. 

By now, Lamarr was happily sitting on 10,000 Beli from Law alone. The single light above them sported a halo of smoke, a perfect ring of light illuminated in the haze that filtered down to the table. In that gauzy glow, Law could see the stained black tips of Lamarr’s fingers fanning through the stack of bills he’d earned. It wasn’t likely that money would ever leave this place, headed for the hands of the rotting woman at the door in exchange for a pipe.

Law wished he could say he didn’t understand why people willingly wasted away in places like this. But from his first exposure to the drug, the way he’d felt numb and unaware of the world, it would be an absolute lie to claim he had nothing in common with the dozens of hazy-eyed people surrounding him. It would be so much easier to just let go, to forget the whitening faces of his parents as the pool of blood around them grew. To forget the overpowering stench of roasting human flesh emanating from the hospital, of the way Lamy’s crying brought color to her pallid face in a way nothing else had for months. To forget screaming his throat raw, coughing blood into the snow on Minion Island as he searched for the spot Corazon had fallen. 

The smoke itself had a numbing effect and even as Law remembered all these things, already there was a distance to the memories. It would be so easy to stay…

A woman, so gaunt the neckline of her dress had slid off one shoulder, stumbled into his chair. Law jerked forward, palms catching on the edge of the table. The hard wood was tacky as he peeled his hands back, nose wrinkled in distaste. 

“Eh, Romero needs to get a new shipment of servin’ wenches down here. The last batch’ve gone’n gotten all used up already,” Lamarr complained, jerking his thumb behind himself in the direction the woman had gone. 

It was almost like the universe wanted him to succeed, handing such an opening to him on a silver platter. Without skipping a beat Law nodded, casually stretching both arms over the back of the chair he reclined in. “Calico Jack’s crew is supposed to be around here, right? Where does Romero usually get his girls; I’ve heard the Calico Pirates have top notch wares.”

“Hah. True enough. Top notch is pricey, though, and with Calico’s biggest patron havin’ gone and lost ‘is head, a dirt trap like this ain’t gotta chance at affordin’ his prices.” Lamarr shook his head, expression going wistful. “I r’member when we could though. Basement at th’ole place was a real upscale joint, n’the top floor had whatever kind’a lovin’ y’could ask fer,” he paused then, slapping Law’s shoulder closest to him. “Not that you’da been able t’afford anythin’ with all the money you’ve lost, boy. But ya’got a pretty face; bet you’d’ve been able t’make some side money upstairs.” The idea must have been hilarious to Lamarr, who doubled over in wheezy laughter. 

When he wasn’t looking, Law scowled at the back of Lamarr’s head and tamped down the urge to sink a dagger into the base of his skull.

“Ahh, but that’s life, huh? Owners started lettin’ in any ol’ fuckwit and now here we are. Y’know, I used’ta run the books fer th’owners. Met Calico Jack ‘imself couple’a times. Has a base a’operations next island over. Prob’ly holed up there, waitin’ fer some other big name patron t’fuel ‘is crew. Those damn articles in th’papers r’practically an ad fer those ‘oo know what they’re lookin’ at.”

Finally, the man makes his company worthwhile. Law’s interest piqued, he was careful to keep the conversation slow. He wasn’t a rookie anymore, and he knew how to avoid looking desperate. “You know, Lamarr, I’ve gambled a lot and I’ve realized only the smartest men win as often as you do. I’m not surprised to hear you’ve been around such big names. I bet you’ve seen Calico Jack’s place for yourself, even.”

Law waited patiently through another whoop of laughter. Lamarr’s hacking coughs rattled the glasses on the table, a stack of chips clinking together as they spilled across the wood. “Naw, I’m not fool enough t’wander into Shrikes Alley even with n’invite from the big man…”

There was little point in listening to the rest of what Lamarr had to say. He had a direction. He had a name. 

“You know, Lamarr. I think I’ve lost all I can manage for today,” Law interrupted, pushing his chair back and standing fluidly. Another lesson he’d learned from his youth was to never leave his unknowing informants alive. It would be easy enough in this crowd, but something made Law pause.

Usually, he wouldn’t have risked activating his power since the glow from the Room would call attention to him. But with the opium haze dancing around Lamarr’s head like an intangible crown, Law doubted he would notice anyway. Letting his power spread around him, Law kept it active just long enough to scan Lamarr before the blue glow faded just as quickly as it had come. 

There was no need to kill Lamarr tonight. Given the state of him, he’d be dead by the end of the week. He supposed he was lucky his timing had been right. 

\--

As always happened with the passing of time, the log pose belonging to the Kid Pirates eventually reset. With it now pointing them in the proper direction once more, the crew set sail, eager to move on knowing that the Marines had been canvassing the island the last few days looking to enact justice on the Heart Pirates. After all, their actions back on Rocky Port had been so “absolutely, astoundingly appalling.” When he’d stumbled upon those words written in bold, blocky letters on some tabloid displayed for sale in the market square, Kid couldn’t help but fall into a fit of laughter immediately after reading them aloud in the most mockingly cosmopolitan tone he could muster.

For his part, Kid had touched base with Law the day before to discuss strategy. Fact of the matter was, the Marines chose this island to canvass because they figured they had a good shot at knowing exactly where Law was. Unless he had an eternal pose to take him elsewhere, the magnetic fields on Rocky Port would have sent him right here, as they did in reality. Their joint arrival meant that Kid and Law could coordinate a joint departure if they so chose and after a brief, surprisingly amicable conversation that was the agreement they settled on. Add to that they were both exceedingly wanted pirate captains and crews and it made sense to face the Navy blockade currently set up around the island together. 

Besides, give the tabloids something else to scream about. He could see the front page as clear as day already - “An alliance between two of the most miserable, vicious, and heartless men in the Worst Generation! How much more danger can our world survive?” It made him giddy at the very thought. With a chuckle on his lips and an eagerness to fuck up some Marines lighting his eyes, Kid looked down to the Polar Tang, having just broke the surface some fifty feet off to his right, and its Captain poking his head up through the hatch, “You ready to get that tin can into the wind, Trafalgar?”

Being the type to keep up with worldly gossip, Law too had heard about the articles still in circulation regarding the Rocky Port incident. To a certain extent he was pleased; the longer journalists desperate for some rousing story wrote about him, the more likely it was to spread. In some circles, it was good to be seen acting out against the Marines to such a degree.

Still, as fun as tackling a brigade of Marine vessels could be, Law simply didn’t have the time for it. He was surprised when Kid had offered a joint departure to ensure their success against the Marines, but he was also satisfied with the outcome. They worked well together up until now and if that continued to be the case the likelihood of an actual alliance between them only increased. It felt natural, somehow, for the two of them to work in tandem. Maybe someday he would really pick apart this strange relationship and work out why he trusted the unpredictable redhead so much, but for now Law let it slide; what did it matter in the long run? At least he could say he was enjoying himself.

As he pushed the hatch open and blinked against the glare of the sun, Law felt himself smirk in the direction of Kid’s voice. “That’s the thing about my ship; I don’t need wind.” It was semantics, but still, he doubted he would ever get tired of teasing the other captain. 

“Heh,” Kid called back then, just as confident and cocky as ever, “right. That’s the thing about your tin can, it’s not actually a ship.” Looking out toward the horizon the redhead cackled, cracking his knuckles as he called for his men to unfurl the sails before he shot one last parting comment Law’s way, “I’ll break through before you.”

“That’s the thing about your driftwood; it has to go _through_ ,” Law shot back before descending back into the safe underbelly of his ship, guiding it below the surface again now that he’d confirmed it was time to go. As they rounded the shore of the island in the direction the log pose pointed they came across the blockade that had been set up. It wasn’t as fearsome as Law had expected from the marines; five battleships in a neat little line between two sandbars penning them in.

Choosing to ignore Law’s comment rather than respond to the empty air, Kid strode to the prow of his ship and watched as they navigated their way out of the way. The sun was out, the breeze was strong, and he was well rested and raring for a fight - for all intents and purposes it was a good day to set sail. As soon as the Marine ships came into view Kid whooped, the sound echoing across the open water ripe with excitement and youthful confidence. He always did love a good tangle with the enemy. 

He sent his power out then in his usual hello, a light summons of all the metal on the opposing ships - he did so enjoy the sounds of confusion and fear that usually swept over a crew when every cannon on their deck and pulley in their rigging suddenly started straining toward one side of their ship. But it was through this gesture that he noticed something else, something new and far more sinister. “... Well fuck,” he couldn’t help but chuckle then, almost chuffed that the Marines had decided to be so damn helpful in his cause to beat Law through the blockade, “guess tin can is gonna need me after all.”

Apparently the Marines weren’t as clueless as Law usually gave them credit for. Stretched between all five ships was a woven steel net, heavy cables criss-crossing from where they were hooked beneath each battleship stretching all the way to the sea floor. Usually this would be a non-issue but underwater the limitations of Law’s power could be an annoyance. He wasn’t able to move objects directly in the sea the way he could on land. Using his power in the Polar Tang was just fine, but trying to manipulate anything outside it that was fully submerged in the water was like trying to manipulate seastone. There went any thought of just relocating his sub beyond the blockade. 

Obviously pleased with the development, Kid didn’t bother trying to hide the huge grin on his face as he looked over his shoulder at Killer, “They stretched a giant metal net under their ships.” What a fucking delight, “They weren’t anticipating meeting me here.” Cracking his knuckles Kid set to it with a will, deciding he’d have some fun with both the Marines and the Heart Pirates all at once. 

One of the beauties of his power was that, boiled down to its simplest form, he was basically an immensely powerful magnet. He didn’t need to actually act on the net dangling suspended in seawater - all he had to do was make his pull strong enough that metal did what it naturally wanted to do: come to him. 

Varying that magnetic pull from one spot to the other, Kid artfully shaped the middle of the net into a rather substantial fist, middle finger the only one pointed up. He hoped Law would appreciate the reference. The sudden squealing that started coming from the Marine ships as his underwater sculpture took form and yanked them back and forth was just icing on the cake. 

Law ordered the engines slowed so they didn’t plow into the net, scowling as he assessed their surroundings. He could back up and go around but the ships would follow him. Before he could get any more annoyed than he was, though, the nets shifted and twisted in the water. 

While he’d known Kid was there, something about the fact that he was actively assisting in getting him out rather than leaving him to his own devices made his lips twist into a smile. Law was sure the other captain would hold it over his head but he could deal with that. Once the net stilled in the water, he actually let out a short bark of laughter - of course, what a nice call back to their encounter at the auction house in Sabaody.

Sometimes, Kid amazed himself with how funny he could be. This was one of those moments. While he’d fouled the net up enough for the Marines to realize it, he hadn’t moved it so thoroughly that Law had a hole big enough to escape through - he couldn’t make it that easy, after all. Rocking back on his heels, he laughed again as he spoke to his first mate, “Killer, how do you wanna fuck them up?”

Considering the array of Marines and ships laid out before them, Killer considered his answer briefly before rotating his blades in his hands. “You wanna try pulling out their cannons and using those against them? It’d let us get in close enough to leave a personal reminder why we’re not to be fucked with.” While he appreciated the slide of a honed edge through weak skin as much as the next guy, there was a certain sense of joy in seeing his captain work his magic. 

“Yeah, good,” Killer’s thought hit perfectly with Kid. He knew his men would protect their ship without being ordered, so he only sent word to reposition themselves off to the side of the blockade - he wanted to see it collapse one after the other like a line of dominoes . Though most of his focus went to relieving the Marines of their heavy artillery as he began to slide the cannons off the decks and then rip them from the sides of the ships, he kept just enough on the net below to ensure his art wasn’t lost to the waves. 

A few of the marines caught on quickly enough to pull back some of the cannons and close the gun ports to keep Kid from removing them entirely. But faced with the majority of their own firepower hovering in midair and facing them, a good amount of the lower ranking forces ran below deck - whether to cower or search for something to use against them, Killer couldn’t be sure. 

Though not elegant, never let it be said his captain wasn’t intelligent; as Kid pulled back the cannons, instead of arranging them in circles around the ships, he staggered them in a line back to his own ship. This left a row of metal stepping stones those of his crew not manning the ship could use to skip across the open ocean to reach their enemies. With a hidden grin, Killer leapt off the bow, jumping from cannon to cannon all the way to the ship in the center, gesturing for Heat and Wire to follow so Kid could focus the cannon fire on the leftmost ships. 

Unsurprised that he hadn’t been enough room given to squeeze under, Law ordered the Polar Tang to surface behind and to the side of Kid’s ship, giving a clear line of sight on the Marines. He was slow while surfacing, which he did with some regret but was the only way he could face the Marines - he’d have been a sitting duck had it not been for Kid’s assistance. Having only half the ships to focus on made this fight a piece of cake. 

Leaving most of his crew below deck to man the engines, Law stood on the prow of his sub, Kikoku unsheathed in his hand. Pushing the boundaries of his Room out to encompass the two ships on the right side of the barricade, he slashed in the direction of the rightmost ship with the intention of cleaving it in two. Halving such a large target took up almost all of his focus, and it made him realize something with a start. 

Though he would always know where everything was in his Room, he wouldn’t be able to do anything about something dangerous coming his way unless he lost focus on his original target. Maybe there really was something to this idea of an alliance with Kid. He had the first three under control, leaving Law with more than enough time to neatly flip the top half of the right hand ship onto the deck of its neighbor.

Kid had the first ship blown into wooden mincemeat by the time Law actually saw daylight. A few of his men were playing leapfrog on the closer cannons, tamping them with gunpowder before Kid inserted a cannonball also borrowed from the friendly neighborhood military power. He enjoyed watching them light the fuse on one cannon and then eagerly throw themselves over to the next, hoping to make it before recoil could kick in and throw them into the ocean. 

It was doubly amusing that some of his men weren’t always that quick - he had a ladder thrown down for them so they could get back on the ship as they swam in close. All in all his crew wasn’t that heavy on Devil Fruit users and those that were knew better than to mess around like that. Looking over at the Polar Tang, Kid stilled for a moment to watch Law work. It was obvious, even from his somewhat distant vantage point, that Law was putting a significant amount of effort into his work but fuck if the outcome of it all wasn’t fucking beautiful. 

There were moments in time that he could distinctly feel his respect for another person grow and this case, with Law, was one of them. There was something freakishly beautiful about the ability to dismantle an enemy from the inside out. Absolutely insane, but freakishly beautiful nonetheless. Even so, he wasn’t going to let Law have all the fun.

The second ship was sunk via its own weaponry as well, the whole escapade almost laughably easy after the encounter they’d had with Kuma. Maybe Kid had expected more of the New World, not less? But then again, he could potentially encounter a Warlord anywhere in the Grand Line so perhaps it was best not to get too cocky. 

As he turned his attention to the third and final ship left afloat, Kid went about stealing yet more cannonballs before he stopped with a dry chuckle, shouting to be heard across the bay, “What, a little cannon fire too impersonal for you? Doesn’t count unless you get blood on your blades?” But of course, in the relatively short amount of time it had taken him to sink the first two vessels, Killer, Heat, and Wire had effectively disemboweled the other of every living thing to be seen. “Get back here, we still need to sink the damn thing.”

From what Killer could tell, this group of marines had done everything they could think of to make life difficult for Trafalgar. They had clearly not anticipated another crew leaving with him, especially theirs. He and the rest of Kid’s crew knew how to play off their captain’s power flawlessly, as evidenced by the path of devastation they so easily carved through the Marine battleships. In hand-to-hand combat these marines were a little more put together; of those that remained on the deck, quite a few managed to land a hit on one of the three pirates busy tearing through them, but their ferocity could not be matched. 

Gesturing for Heat and Wire to go ahead, Killer lagged behind to look over the deck. There were undoubtedly more men down below, but it was best to let Kid finish blowing holes in this one and have it sink before reinforcements arrived. Hopping off the deck, Killer made his way back along the line of cannons before joining his captain. 

By the time Law had taken care of the two ships on the right, there was little else for him to do. Kid had picked off the other three already, so he just sheathed his sword, sat cross legged on the deck, and watched the redhead work. Even from a distance he could see how well Kid’s crew worked in harmony with him and he appreciated the sight. His own crew was similarly made up; as captain, his fighting style was primarily long range while the rest of his crew fought close up. Finding all these different ways in which they complimented each other as pirates, as captains, as fucked up men with a history of tragedy… Law could feel his pull toward Kid growing stronger. How troublesome.

As the third ship began to sink beneath the waves with a combination of loud cracking sounds and rather panicked screaming, Kid turned his attention to Law once more, his grin all teeth, “You’re welcome.” With a haughty smirk he began calling orders, getting the wind in their sails again and heading toward the remnants of the blockade. His favorite part in all of this was that the Marine ships would take some time to fully sink, which meant that the cable net dangling in Law’s way would continue to do so long enough for Kid to claim victory in their little race. That’s what he gets for commanding a sinking tin can.

Using his power to guide them, Kid ensured that they sailed through part of the blockade that already had the proper draft needed to traverse it unencumbered. That done he let out a loud whoop, turning back to look at the painfully yellow submarine still waiting its turn. While he knew there were likely to be reinforcements on their way, he also knew Law could handle himself. Besides, the net would probably sink low enough for him to escape through at one point or another in ten to twenty minutes, considering he’d severed the connection it had to the bottom of the middle ship. He was such a nice fucking guy, wasn’t he?

As soon as the marines were no longer an issue, Law called up half his crew to get the sails in place. He knew as well as Kid did that going under the sinking ships would take a while and although his ship could sail it was slow and cumbersome so he rarely bothered traveling that way. Ikkaku was the most energetic of those he had putting the sails up; she loved climbing in the rigging. 

“Hey, Captain…” Bepo trailed off as he settled in next to Law. “Sorry to bother you. I was just… wondering. Why did the Kid pirates help us? Are we allied with them now?” 

Law glanced at his navigator, then turned to look at Kid’s ship as it sailed quicker than his was capable of through the chokepoint the marines had held. “Not yet, Bepo. This just means I owe him one.” As he turned back around and saw the stricken look on the mink’s face - no doubt imagining all the awful things it might mean to be indebted to someone like Kid - Law chuckled. “Don’t worry. I can handle him.”

Far from calming Bepo, Law’s words only seemed to cause him more stress. Looking stricken he turned his gaze to the other pirate ship moving into the distance, quiet for a moment before another soft question escaped him, “... Not yet?” Though he wasn’t the kind to argue with his captain Bepo’s thoughts ran in line with that of Penguin and Shachi: Law mixing himself up with Eustass seemed like a bad idea. 

“Are you worried about me, Bepo?” Law asked, a tiny smirk playing across his lips. It was… cute, the way his crew fussed over him, especially the three who had been with him the longest. They should know by now that he was capable of taking care of himself in spite of the seemingly dangerous situations he sometimes found himself in. He never went into anything blind, and this… whatever it was with Kid, he was heading into it with his eyes wide open.

“Um…” while the answer to that was unequivocally yes, Bepo didn’t want it to come across like he didn’t trust Law or think he wasn’t capable and strong, “well…” Trailing off the mink looked away, ducking his head and feeling grateful he didn’t blush like humans, “I just want you to be…” It took him longer to find the right word than he would have liked, “safe.”

Law’s grin took on an almost manic edge as he patted Bepo’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, Bepo. I’ll make sure to use protection.” With that he stood to move below deck, knowing without looking that Bepo was absolutely mortified. He knew that from here on out the rest of his crew had the situation under control and would get them headed in the right direction. As predicted, he felt the ship slowly start to move forward, the hum of the engines on standby swallowing up any verbal response Bepo may have mustered.

The sudden appearance of a sail on Law’s ship took Kid by enough surprise that it found him at the stern of his ship, watching as the other crew started to set sail. Sure, he’d seen the Polar Tang at float in harbor, but he’d never seen it move unless it was underwater - well, wasn’t he an idiot for making the assumption that was the only way Law could travel. Whatever, he was already through the blockade and now he had another thing he could tease Law about. It was a shame they were outside shouting distance or he would have reminded the other man about his snide little “I don’t need wind” comment from earlier in the day. 

For all that they had agreed to breach the blockade together, they weren’t allies yet, strictly speaking. Kid had no intention of waiting for or sailing alongside Law, at least not if it meant going out of his way. Looking over to Killer Kid huffed softly under his breath and rolled his shoulders back, savoring the sun on his skin for a moment before speaking, “I’m headed down. I’ll be a while, want to make sure everything’s okay. You take care of things up here.”

Before he could leave, Killer reached out and caught Kid’s arm. “I don’t mind what you do in your own time, Captain. But when you bring the whole crew into helping him out, I have to question your motives.” Throughout the time that Killer knew Kid had been spending with Trafalgar, he still didn’t know what his captain saw in the other man. At best, Killer saw a dangerous, unpredictable rival. He didn’t want to think what the worst was.

Though he trusted Killer implicitly and knew without a doubt he had Kid’s best interest at heart, that comment still made the redhead bristle. Shrugging off Killer’s grip with a sharp jerk of his shoulder and a dirty look Kid squared off to face him, his voice level and flat, “We didn’t need to make it through the Marines ourselves?” There was absolutely nothing that said he did it for Law. Sure, he agreed to work together to break through the barricade but that was as much for his own ease as it was the other man’s.

Killer let his hand fall to the side, scrutinizing his captain and oldest friend. Kid knew enough by now to be able to read his silences. Sure, they needed to get through the blockade, but there were multiple ways to leave the island and they’d chosen to leave with Trafalgar. Even knowing that he was being hunted for the destruction they’d left behind on Rocky Port, which of course meant there would be a Marine presence. 

“Don’t fucking look at me like that,” Kid snapped, a touch of heat to his words. Killer’s mask didn’t stop Kid from knowing the exact look being shot his way right now. He was a fucking pirate, he wasn’t afraid of the damn Marines, and he’d much rather prove it by going through them instead of around. Maybe Killer’s judgement stung because he was right - Maybe he’d had those same thoughts on this island once already - but damn it, the interactions he’d been having with Law felt good, hit him in a way nothing else had; he didn’t want to give that up and he didn’t appreciate the implication he should. 

“Look, I just want you to really think about this, okay? Your interactions with him… you have to decide if he’s good for the whole crew. Not just you. His actions may end up affecting all of us.” There was a gravity to Killer’s words, enough that he knew he wouldn’t have to say anything else for Kid to understand what he was implying. 

Oh, but it was that exact implication that set Kid over the edge. He rarely - rarely - fought with Killer and usually the only time they came to blows was a friendly sparring match, but when he put his hands on the other man’s chest and shoved this time, there was no hint of playfulness in the movement. His eyes were hard, mouth a thin set line before he growled out his response, “You ever fucking accuse me of putting anything above her again and I’ll wreck you so fucking hard your name will change to Killed.”

Killer let himself be pushed, though he kept his feet and didn’t stumble in spite of the force behind the action. The fact that his simple statements were getting under Kid’s skin so easily just made him all the more sure that he’d grown too attached to Trafalgar. If he wasn’t attached, he would have laughed him off when he first voiced his concern. “...got it, Captain.” With that, he turned and began barking orders to the crew manning the sails, following the original instruction he’d been given.

Hands curled into impotent fists, Kid watched Killer walk away from him with some mix of anger and sick uncertainty curling in his gut. He didn’t like this feeling. He didn’t like Killer’s implications, but he also didn’t like the fact that Killer felt the need to make them. Angry or not, he knew he still had to give his best friend’s words their due consideration. All intentions of going below deck scuppered - he certainly wouldn’t do any good in this mood - Kid turned his back on his first mate and moved toward the helm instead, intent on finding something to do to occupy himself until he calmed down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We've both had a playlist going for this fic and our future plans for it for awhile, so we thought we'd share it with you all! The only songs we've included are the ones relevant to the first ten chapters, and we will add to it as time goes by. Please check out the tumblr post [ here](https://pand--em--onium.tumblr.com/post/182176747727/middle-fingers-in-the-air-has-a-playlist) if you're interested in our thoughts behind the tracks.
> 
> You can listen to the playlist [ here](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3Kabn0bLME6L2ipLq4QRAA) on Spotify.
> 
> As always, thank you all so much for reading and commenting and leaving kudos. We both appreciate it so much!
> 
> UPDATE: Akimao has done it again and sketched the scene that inspired the title of the chapter [ here!](http://akimao.tumblr.com/post/182219551146/middle-fingers-in-the-air-chapter-11-this-is) Please show her some love! 


	12. *A Moment of Peace

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you haven't already, please check out chapters 10 and 11 for some amazing art generously provided by [ Akimao! ](http://akimao.tumblr.com/)

The one shitty thing about traveling by ship was that when you were between islands, there was very little one could do to achieve true privacy. Though Kid kept his distance from Killer there was no real point in playing the bitch and being petty about their little tiff. It may have taken a little while for the reminder that Killer really cared about her too to grind into Kid’s skull, but he was trying to let go of the anger. 

That didn’t mean addressing the question Killer posed to him was any easier. Kid spent that second night at sea alone in his cabin, absently picking at the edges of his nail polish with one hand as he bounced a little rubber ball against the wall with the other, the steady thud accompanying his thoughts. Was Law bad? The answer was yes, but he wasn’t sure that actually mattered. Kid was bad too, depending on who you asked, but that didn’t make him a danger to his crew. So, wrong question. 

Was Law dangerous? Also yes, but the important bit was to whom. Right now he wasn’t a threat to Kid, yet the redhead knew how quickly that could turn a one-eighty. But could he really say he never put her in danger? They lived on a pirate ship, of all things. He had the highest bounty for a captain his age there’d ever been. Pretty much every aspect of their lives was dangerous. 

But there were different kinds of danger, weren’t there? Different levels. Being pirates, his bounty, they were necessary dangers. It’s how he kept them fed and clothed and warm. It’s how he made sure she never had to worry about a damn thing except how to entertain herself. It’s how he planned to leave his mark on the world, prove he was so much more than just a kid born for nothing but to be sold for drug money. He was going to wipe the stain of his childhood from memory and ensure hers was the best one he could possibly fucking give her. 

Law… fuck it, but Law felt like a breath of fresh air, something new, someone that caught his attention and held it rapt and made him ache for that same attention in return. The scrawny little bastard had wormed his way into Kid’s very veins and he wanted to be pissed at him for it but damn it all if he hadn’t been the one who let him do it. Law felt good, he felt different, he felt… Kid didn’t know what other words to put to it, but he knew he wanted it. 

But was Killer right? Was he prioritizing his own… whatever the fuck this was over her safety? Was he putting her in unacceptable danger? Part of him - a rather large part - told him that he sure as shit was and that he couldn’t be more of a selfish prick if he tried. Yet there was one little voice, at the back of his brain, reminding him that Law had a baby sister once too and that he still missed her, still mourned her. Reminding him that Law had trusted him enough to share her name - Lamy.

Was that enough to make him believe that Law would leave his alone, if the two of them grew to be at odds with one another? Part of him said yes, another part told him he was a fucking idiot for thinking that, and overall the whole fucking question made his head hurt. Flinging his ball into the corner with a grunt of frustration, Kid threw himself back against his pillow and stared up at the ceiling. Fat chance of sleeping it off tonight, but he could at least pretend to try.

The next morning dawned foggy and gray, not that it mattered much when you had a log pose for navigation. Not having bothered to change out of his clothes the night before, Kid pushed himself upright with a groan, exhaustion making him groggy and slow - holy hell, he’d give anything to feel the ache of physical work in his bones instead of this two intermittent hours of sleep bullshit weighing him down.

Well. Moping around in his cabin wasn’t going to do him any good. Kid took a few minutes at his washbasin, throwing cold water on his head and hoping it would help him feel more alert, before sighing and reaching for nonexistent goggles on his nightstand. “Fuck,” he muttered then, rubbing at his face - he hadn’t been able to find a pair he liked on that last island. He was going to have to make another one, who was he kidding, he wasn’t going to find what he wanted from some shopkeeper.

Pushing his damp hair away from his eyes, Kid did his best to slick it back as he walked out into the hall. Not that he went far, though. Directly across the way from his was another door and that’s the one he chose to knock on, voice rough as he called softly for attention, “Sprout, you up?”

Moments after hearing Kid’s voice, a half dozen footfalls answered before the door pushed open. Grinning, Yara reached for Kid’s hand to pull him inside. “Yep! You slept in late, what were you doing all ni-- you’ve been picking at your nails again!!” The sudden change of topic brought her to a stop as she pouted up at her brother. “I’m running low on that color, you know, you shouldn’t just pick at it!” 

Her initial intent was to pull Kid over to sit on the edge of her bed, where they usually talked, but instead she led him to a desk in the corner. Small glass bottles lined the back of it and a thick metal wire was shoved into the wall and circled around the front of them to keep the bottles from moving as the ship swayed. “What am I gonna do with you?” she sighed as she reached her chair, climbing up into it and tucking her knees under her so she could reach for the bottle in question.

A dry chuckle escaped Kid at that as he let himself be led back to Yara’s makeup area. He took his usual seat without preamble, rubbing at his nose briefly before spreading both hands out over the surface with his fingers spread. “Fix it for me?” he offered in response to her question, eyes soft as he watched the crown of her head bob in time with her movements. If there was anything good in the world it was his little auburn haired, stubborn and stern, feisty kid sister. 

He took a breath as he waited for her response, eyes dancing over the familiar room - bed tucked in one corner done up in bronze ruffles, wardrobe tidily closed under the porthole with her favorite jacket displayed on the hook hanging over the door, colorful plush rug underfoot. He dug his toes into the blood red tufts as she set to work on his fingernails, enjoying the soft sensation of both against his calloused skin. 

“Well, obviously I’m gonna fix it. You can’t go out there looking a mess,” Yara scolded. She pulled a lantern closer so she could see better. “You’re lucky the sea is steady today,” she added as she lined up the necessities in a neat row. Acetone and cotton balls first, cotton swabs to tidy up the edges, a clear base and top coat and the color she was using. She lifted one of Kid’s hands in both of her own, studying his fingers before doing the same to the opposite hand. “You’re picking at your cuticles again, too. Is something wrong?” 

Without waiting for a response from her brother, Yara set about dipping a cotton ball in acetone and scrubbing at the remaining polish. Usually, he was good about not picking at his nails unless there was something on his mind, so it was likely that was the case this time. He really liked this color, too… her mind worried at those details as she set to work.

At that Kid sighed, using his free hand to affectionately tousle her hair, “Don’t worry about me, Yara, I’m good.” How much could he burden a nine-year-old with anyway? This whole mess with Law was his fault, he couldn’t give her anything else to fret about. But he found peace in this room, as he always did. Just being around her helped clear his head, made him a little less tired, let him live in the moment with her instead of inside the constant whir of machinery that had been his brain in recent months. 

She was such a good kid. Obedient and quiet when he needed her to be but full of life otherwise, a bright ray of sunshine that nobody on his crew could resist. She had made herself a home here, nestled in the bowels of this vessel, surrounded by rough and ready men who would nonetheless fight to the death to protect her. She had a huge family, she would tell him that all the time, and she loved them all, but she only had one _brother_. To be honest, he couldn’t think of anything else anyone had ever said to him that meant more than that. 

She’d gotten so much better with her nail polish over the years, too. He still remembered when she was almost five and had found her first bottle. He’d tried to take it from her but the look of distress on her face had been so potent he’d relented, explaining what it was and asking her just not to make a mess. She’d giggled happily, nodded agreement, and then immediately insisted she wanted to try it. On him. 

Just about his entire hand had been painted purple that day and it had taken almost a week to get it all out of the creases in his knuckles but she’d been so proud of the end result. He’d never had the heart to tell her no every time she’d ask to do it again. Luckily she was a quick learner and he’d found someone on one of the islands to give her a crash course. 

He was quite fond of her ministrations by now; it was usually uninterrupted time shared just between the two of them and it helped boost up her confidence in her skills. Besides all that, it felt like she really finished off the whole look he was going for. He felt unfinished without at this point. And, really, he was such a sucker for the bright smile she usually gave him when she was finished. Though he had a feeling today he’d be in for a bit of a scowl and maybe even a lecture. 

Yara looked up from her work - though she kept scrubbing - to give Kid a scrutinizing look. “Kid, you know I’m old enough to notice when you’re bein’ weird. Aren’t sisters supposed to worry about their big brothers when they get their heads all lost in the clouds?” As she approached her tenth birthday, Yara was beginning to take entering double digits with an air of seriousness and wanted Kid and the rest of the crew to acknowledge it too. 

“Thought I was always weird?” he responded with a teasing grin, lightly mimicking her own words. It wasn’t too long after that before he sighed though, ducking his head for a moment to scrub a hand through his hair again. If there was one thing she picked up from being raised by him it was her stubborn sense of persistence. She always seemed to know how to wheedle information from him eventually - maybe it was about time he learned his lesson and stopped trying to hide things from her.

“Yeah, but this isn’t your normal weird. This is like… I dunno, like something’s bothering you. A lot.” Narrowing her eyes briefly as she continued to scrutinize his expression, Yara gave up on trying to name the feeling she was getting from her brother and turned her focus back on something she had a more solid grasp on. It always felt like she was just on the cusp of understanding something big, but ultimately it was just out of reach. Like being just below the surface of the water and looking up to see the sun shimmering on the surface above you and knowing it was something, but not fully comprehending exactly what that something was.

Kid thought about that for a moment, wondering how it took her all of three minutes to figure that out. Astute. She was so much smarter than him, so much cleverer, so much quicker in her mind. All he had to do was get her to adulthood, teach her how to defend herself and how to handle people and she’d bend some part of this world to her will, he just knew she would. Kid rubbed at his face again before he spoke, trying to keep his voice neutral, “I’d never put anything above you, you know that, right?”

Snorting, Yara grinned up at him briefly. “Except the things you don’t want me to reach.” She knew that wasn’t what he meant, but he looked so… concerned. Even his smiles weren’t as bright as usual and he hadn’t even teased her about her self-made messy braids. Whatever it was that was bothering him, she wanted him to smile a little before they got into it.

That got a genuine chuckle from him, the sound warm enough to fill the room even though it had been quiet. “Hey, that’s mostly Killer, don’t blame me,” he deflected playfully. It may be true that Yara viewed Kid as her only brother, but damn if Killer wasn’t only a few fragments away. They’d raised her together, run from Centaurea the same day Kid had murdered his parents, fought through every obstacle in their way to ensure she was cared for. In everything but name, Kid was pretty sure Killer was her other brother; he’d share, though, in this once instance - the other man had more than earned it. 

“Well, you’re taller, so I can tell when you’re the one who did it,” she pointed out, sticking her tongue out at him before reaching for a cotton swab to clean up the bits of polish that’d been left behind. Maybe what Kid was saying was true - of the two of them, Killer was the one more likely to put things out of reach. Food, mainly. He was always going on about how she needed to eat more vegetables. 

“What if he jumped?” he queried, the grin on his face getting a little bigger. He had to watch himself and his attitude around her, do better at not making her worry. That in mind he reached out, tugging lightly at the end of one of her braids, “I’ll redo these for you when my nails are dry.” While she’d gotten really good at plaiting his hair - what little the length of it allowed her to, anyway - she still struggled doing it to herself. 

Yara giggled at the idea of Killer jumping to reach a higher shelf for added assurance she wouldn’t be able to get into whatever it was he was hiding. He was the serious one; it didn’t fit her image of hi,. “He wouldn’t.” She felt a little better, knowing he’d at least noticed the mess of her hair. She’d just recently taken an interest in doing it herself. Killer had enough of it that she’d been able to try a whole slew of things, though it had mostly just ended in his hair being a knotted mess. He was patient, though, more so than Kid usually was when she wanted to try something new. “Come ooooon, Kid. Don’t think I’ll forget what I asked you.”

Softly clicking his tongue at that Kid rotated his neck side to side, cracking it to buy himself a little time to formulate a response. How much was appropriate to tell her? That was something he’d always struggled with. He wasn’t cut out to raise a kid and he didn’t have the first idea of when a certain topic was appropriate for her - their parents certainly hadn’t done a good job teaching him in that realm. “Promise I’m okay,” he tried to deflect once more, though he could already feel failure coming his way. 

Pulling back and crossing her arms, Yara looked Kid full in the face, her initial scowl quickly diminishing into a pout. She didn’t have the vocabulary yet to express the feeling of wanting her brother to be able to rely on her, to trust her with whatever was wrong and know that she could handle it. That was the driving force of her frustration as she leveled her best glare at Kid; she couldn’t help but feel like if she just had the words to explain, he wouldn’t feel the need to keep things from her. “I’m not gonna paint your nails if you’re not gonna tell me.” Kid could easily call her bluff, but in the moment she wasn’t thinking about that. She just had nothing else to make him tell her what was going on.

While the option to chuckle at what seemed like a tiny threat was there, Kid didn’t take it - he actually knew that coming from Yara, it was meant very earnestly. She took the state of his nails (and his makeup) seriously and Kid being done up properly every day before breakfast was a point of pride for her. Of course he was going to relent, he always did. Bending down slightly he brushed a soft kiss to her forehead, voice gentle as he made a request first, “Okay, okay. Stop making that face though, yeah?”

Somewhat satisfied, Yara let her shoulders relax but her arms remained crossed. She forced her expression to still as well, though her lips were still pursed, clearly not sure Kid was really giving in. “...ok. My face is better. Tell me.” Even now, she felt guilt creeping up. It wasn’t nice to threaten Kid to get him to tell her something. She wouldn’t like it if he did that to her. But what else could she do?

Since she hadn’t actually started painting his nails yet, Kid had a little more leeway in what he did and he took it. Reaching out he plucked Yara from her chair, pulling her into his lap and starting to gently unbraid her hair, finding the distraction of something physical to do helpful as he spoke, “You know the other pirates Killer ‘n me have been grouped with, the Supernovas? You remember the one named Trafalgar Law?” One technique he’d learned with her was to give her little pieces of the whole story at a time, if the situation she was asking about was delicate. She’d ask questions until she decided she was satisfied with the answer, so he’d answer only the question she asked to avoid giving more of the whole story than he had to.

Though she wanted to scold him that she didn’t need to be treated like a kid, Yara didn’t hate this. She hoped she never got too big or too old to be close to Kid. He made her feel safe, and although there was no reason for her not to feel that way, she still felt better like this. “Yeah. Killer told me about everyone in the list, but he said he didn’t know much about Trafalgar other than that he has bad manners. But you’re all pirates, so I kinda figured everyone has bad manners.” 

“You’re a smart kid,” Kid responded with a smile, carding his fingers through her hair to smooth it out once he’d undone the plaits. He kept that motion going on for a bit longer than technically necessary but he knew it soothed the both of them. “Well,” he started then, trying to figure out how to best get the point of it all across without making things too complicated, “I’ve been… spending some time with him and it’s gotten… a little more complicated than I thought.”

“Oh.” It was all she could think to say. Why was he making such a big deal about that? She’d seen her brother and his crew spending time with other pirates before, and heard stories of further interactions she hadn’t seen herself. “So… you’re making friends with other pirates? Is that bad?” Yara looked up at her brother, wondering if his expression might give something away that his words weren’t. 

Yara’s gaze was so earnest and so concerned as she looked up at him that Kid stood no chance of resisting the way his heart clenched so tight it hurt. “It… could be. He’s… dangerous and unpredictable and if I make friends with the wrong person and let him get too close it could… wind up hurting the people I care about.” He didn’t want to get too aggressive with it, make her feel like she had to worry for her own safety, but she deserved honesty. 

“Okay, but he’s a pirate. Aren’t pirates supposed to be like that? You’re like that, but you’re nice to me. And you were nice to all those other kids you took from Rocky Port, even though you’re dangerous and unpredictable. You even gave Sylvanas your favorite goggles.” Having been raised by Kid and Killer as they squatted in abandoned houses and stole the food and clothes they needed before being able to upgrade to their ship, Yara was used to danger. It didn’t scare her the way she imagined it might scare other little girls. It was just her normal. There were always bad things that could happen to anyone, even if they didn’t live with a bunch of pirates. “And I don’t really think you’d be friends with someone who would wanna hurt me. Or the crew.”

The response to that was immediate and visceral, even though his tone stayed even and soft. Yara needed to know, instinctually, that Kid would destroy anyone who even thought about laying a hand on her, “You’re right, I’d never be friends with someone who would hurt you or the guys, never ever.” If only it were that easy, if only he could get Law to promise their safety, if only he could trust Law’s word. 

But could he even trust Law’s word if what Law was promising was not to hurt him? He so desperately wanted to say yes, but what proof did he have? None. He didn’t have a damn bit of it, nothing concrete he could show Killer to say _Look, it’s okay, he’d never touch her, this proves it._ No, all he had was twilight romps in the sand and tiny fires under the cover of darkness that gave him a sense of it, a feeling that things would be okay between them. He couldn’t show Killer a feeling, now could he?

“So then what’s the big deal? It’s good to have friends, isn’t it?” This wasn’t a topic Yara could speak on with any sort of certainty. Her only friends were her brother and the crew, and those were friends she’d never have made on her own. They all had a hand in raising her, so they were more like family anyway. They didn’t really count. She only knew what she’d read about and what Kid and Killer had told her. 

This was all easier when she was little and the questions were more along the lines of ‘Why’s the sky blue?’ Part of him was resentful at the passage of time - there weren’t many nights anymore where her little feet padded across the hall and scrabbled at the edge of his bed in a vain attempt to climb atop it, stubbornly insistent that she’d get up there one way or another. It only ended when he reached down and gently plucked her from the floor, letting her curl up in the safe haven under his arm and against his chest. She was getting so tall she didn’t even need his help anymore… that stung more than he wanted to admit. 

But she still wanted to be held in his arms as they walked through port, still looked at him like he made the sun rise and shine, still trusted him so wholeheartedly and so easily it buckled his knees. She was still his little sister in so many ways and always would be, but she was really starting to grow into her own fully formed self. And it showed in her habit of asking particularly tricky questions, “It is, but… friends can turn on you. Just because you’re friends with somebody now doesn’t mean you’ll always be friends with them and if the friendship ended badly, well… then that could be bad for you, if they’re the type to want revenge.”

“But you’d never let anything bad happen to me.” Yara spoke with certainty. She wasn’t asking a question, she didn’t sound like she was doing anything but stating a clear fact. There had been close calls on the sea; they were pirates, of course there had. But Kid and his crew had always come through for her. They had things in place to make sure she was safe. Kid had woven iron through the walls of her room in case anything managed to pierce the wood. She had no reason to fear anything from another pirate because her brother was the biggest and strongest of them all. 

The smile he gave her at that was perhaps the softest one anyone would ever see on his face, “You’re right. I wouldn’t.” Was that it, then? Did that seal the deal, mean he had to call this - whatever _this_ was - with Law off? Did protecting her from bad things mean just the bad things they knew for certain were coming or did it mean protecting her from the things that could potentially turn bad, too? Kid groaned softly at that and let his head drop, hair falling into his eyes to mask them for a moment. Damn if this wasn’t making his head pound.

“...Kid?” Leaning forward, Yara squirmed in his lap to try and peer up at his face from under his bangs. “Why do you look sad?” There was a note of worry in her voice. There wasn’t anything she could see that should have upset him. He had made a friend, a possibly dangerous friend, but all pirates were that way. And anyone who would have targeted her to get to him didn’t seem like someone he would bother being friends with in the first place. This whole growing up thing was suddenly very complicated.

It would almost make him laugh, sad and melancholy, if she hadn’t been sitting right there. He knew it would have spooked her. How many times had she asked him that since she’d been born? Too many. The answers used to be simple - hungry, cold, scared, freaked out that I don’t know how to take care of you - not that he’d actually told her most of those things. But the reason it struck him so hard now is that she hadn’t really had to ask it in a few years.

It had been a while since they were cold and hungry. By the time they’d established themselves as an up and coming crew, people had more reason to be afraid of them then they’d had to be afraid of people. They were doing damn well for themselves, the ragtag band that had started out as the redhead who commited familicide, the weird kid who felt better hidden from view, and the two year old who probably should have been talking a lot better than she was at the time. 

He’d been so careful to ensure she hadn’t had to worry about anything and now here he was, making her worry. He couldn’t help the sense of shame that filled him with. Reaching up Kid rubbed at the back of his neck self-consciously, quiet as he struggled to find an answer. Telling her things were fine would be such an obvious lie he knew better than to even try it. But that didn’t make finding an actual explanation any easier. 

His silence wasn’t making her feel any better. “Kid?” Careful not to knee him in the stomach or step somewhere painful, Yara moved so she was facing him and kneeled in his lap, pushing herself up to be closer to his face. “Look, I know I’m getting to be grown up, but sometimes you still gotta explain things to me. I wanna help you sometimes too. You always make me feel better when I’m sad…”

That did get a chuckle from him but it was appropriate for the situation, a little dry but warm nonetheless, “You’re a stubborn kid, you know that?” Shoving his confusion back into the far recesses of his mind, Kid lifted his head and flashed her a smile as he reached up to card his fingers through her hair again. “But I guess you’re right…” trailing off he took a deep breath, holding it in for a moment to suffuse his chest before letting it out slowly, “so this pirate, Law, he…” 

What? What was he supposed to say? How in the fucking world was he supposed to explain this to her in a way she would understand? “We’re getting along now but that’s because we’ve got a common enemy, the Marines. But, what if some day that changes? What if he wants to be the Pirate King and find One Piece before me so bad that he would do anything to make it happen, even if that meant hurting you just to get to me?” Did that make sense? Fuck, he rambled through it so fast he had no idea. Who decided to trust him with a child? Oh, right, nobody. He murdered their parents and stole her. Big surprise this whole thing was so hard. 

Scrunching up her nose, Yara tried to think of the best way to express the thoughts she was having. “You remember when I used to ask you what if a monster snuck on board and hid in my closet? Or what if you and Killer and the rest of the crew left one day and never came back? Or if a really big fish swallowed the ship with all of us on it?” She paused just long enough for him to nod, albeit with a somewhat confused expression on his face. “Remember what you told me? ‘Cause it sounds a lot like you’re making up what if’s.” 

… who taught her to be so damn sassy? … Right. Also him. But that brought a smile to his face anyway because damn if it wasn’t a combination of all the best parts of him and the individual traits of her own that made her into exactly the spectacular human she was. She was enough to give him faith that even with how fucked up he was, he could do something critical, something important right. “Yeah, maybe, but what if -”

Kid had to cut himself off then, laughing at the look she gave him, “I’m the adult, Sprout. I have to think of the what if’s, it’s part of how I protect you. I can’t just decide my happiness now is more important than your safety later. As much as I… like being around him, I can’t pretend that’s worth risking something happening to you. So…” He trailed off again at that, resignation settling over him stifling in its weight. So Killer was right then, right? He had to call it off.

“Okaaaay, but you didn’t answer my question. Do you remember what you told me about what if’s?” Her eyes were bright now, almost mischievous like she’d caught him at something. It made sense to her, especially if her brother liked this Law guy. And if he tried to hurt her, she’d just kick him really hard in the balls like Kid said to if someone tried to do something she didn’t like. 

Stubborn little brat… with a deep but lovingly resigned sigh, Kid finally gave her the quote she was so insistent on hearing, “We’ll deal with it when it happens.” Sure, it sounded so easy when he said it like that but it was one thing to promise killing the monster under the bed if it ever showed up and another to pretend slaying Trafalgar D. Water Law would be that easy.

“Right. So you can be friends unless he gets mean, then just… don’t be friends anymore.” The logic held up in her mind. Why wouldn’t someone want to be friends with Kid, anyway? And what could possibly go so wrong that this Law person suddenly wanted to hurt his family? It seemed to her like Kid was just being a worrywart. Things had been fine so far, hadn’t they?

What he struggled with the most was that for the most part, Kid viewed the world in exactly that way. As long as something worked for you, do it. You could always stop when things changed. And that worked perfectly fine for him. It worked perfectly fine for his crew. But would it work that way if things went south with Law? Could he cut ties cleanly, would the other captain allow that to happen?

Kid sent a soft smile Yara’s way before lifting her up, kissing her cheek gently before depositing her back in her own chair, “You’re so logical, kiddo.” Still one hundred percent unsure where he was going to go from here, Kid nonetheless didn’t want her to worry about it anymore so he changed topics, “If you’re gonna take all the polish off, can we switch back to plain black for now? No sense using fancy colors if we’re just gonna be on the ship for a while.”

“...thanks?” Yara was pretty sure it was a compliment, and at least Kid was smiling now. Sated for the moment, she allowed herself to be shifted back to her own chair. Looking longingly at the deep cherry red color she had set out on the desk, Yara sighed and nodded, reaching for one of the bottles of black. “Yeah, okay. It’ll be the special occasion color.” Setting back to her work, she hummed softly to herself as one by one Kid’s nails were stripped of color. She was meticulous as she worked, and once she was done she lifted her head to direct a smile up at her brother. “So… am I gonna meet your new friend?”

Grateful that he’d seemed to have pleased her and moved them on to different conversation, Kid let himself relax as she worked. He always found such a respite with her, in the four walls of this little cabin, sharing companionable silence or affectionate teasing as she did his nails and makeup. All the things he thought he was missing Kid found in Yara; the way she smiled at him, the way she believed in him so utterly, they were signs of faith he was still never truly sure he deserved. But he tried every day to live up to her expectations. 

Carried along by his thoughts Kid fell into a bit of a reprieve and lost focus on the here and now, mind wandering through the quiet until Yara’s question immediately snapped him back into the moment, “What? No way, he’s not - no, there’s no way, I mean, come on Yara, he’s totally not cool enough for that.”

“Then why are you friends with him?” came her immediate, blunt response. She was looking down again, shaking up a clear base coat so she could start the process of repainting Kid’s nails now that the previous coat of polish had been removed. “I mean, you’re acting kinda weird about him. Is he secretly your boyfriend or something?” This was a game Yara liked to play with Kid. Any time he showed interest in someone, she would ask this question. She’d asked it of Killer, Heat and Wire, most of the rest of the crew, the big names she heard them talking about. Mostly it was just funny to watch her brother get a little flustered.

At that question, Kid choked. Visibly, audibly choked on not much except air. The look on his face was one of affront and incredulation, clearly aghast that she would even suggest such a thing and his response came so fast he might as well have just told her she hit a nerve somewhere, “No!” The syllable was sharp and emphatic and slightly, ever so slightly panicked. He could not have her going around suggesting to anyone that Law was his boyfriend. Boyfriend, of all things! Sure, he’d cop to fucking the guy, messing around with him, having a bit of back and forth, but something as disgustingly romantic as a boyfriend? No way.

A little flustered was what she was used to. Usually accompanied by some ribbing from the crew. This sudden outburst was something new. Very slowly, Yara set down the bottle she’d opened and tilted her head up to look at Kid with big eyes as a slow grin steadily spread across her face. “...Kid! He is, isn’t he?” Giggling, she wiggled forward in her seat, shifting ever so slightly closer. “Kid’s got a boyfriend,” she began in a sing-song voice, mirth lighting her features.

“I do NOT!” he asserted, doing his best to be as crystal clear as possible. And really, what could be more clear than that? “I do not have a boyfriend, you crazy girl. Trafalgar Law and me? No way. He is not boyfriend material,” oh, but he was rambling again. He realized it, recognized that it was happening as he spoke, yet somehow still couldn’t manage to stop it, “What makes you think I’d want to date that dark haired, scrawny ass, nutso chop shop anyway?”

Capturing Kid’s hand and starting the process of painting his nails in earnest, Yara giggled. Now that she’d started, he couldn’t just leave. This was a process that couldn’t be interrupted. She had a captive audience and she was going to run with it. “I dunno, but you’re talkin’ about his ass so that must mean you liiike it,” she continued to sing-song, nonplussed by the coarse language. She’d been swearing as much as any of them since she was little. It was only natural, growing up as she had.

As willful as he was, as reckless and impulsive and crazy, as far as things went right now Yara had him pinned. The moment that tiny brush ran over one of his fingernails he was trapped until she was completely finished. He’d interrupted her once - and only once - years ago because Killer had insisted there was news he needed to hear right away, some critical bit of time sensitive information. The tears and heartbreak that had followed were so severe, Yara so genuinely upset in a way her little five year old self was unable to fully articulate, that to this day Kid told his men to either come in and talk to him while she worked or wait until she was done. 

The other side to that was, of course, that she could use it to trap him. As she so cleverly used to her advantage. “I can talk about somebody’s ass and not like it,” he responded then, as though this was a reasonable discussion to have with a nine year old and one he stood any chance of winning, “that’s just like… normal.” As the first swipe of black polish fully coated his right thumbnail, Kid watched carefully, in slight awe as always. She had such a steady hand for a little kid, she never got any on his skin even in those times a wave caught the ship unexpectedly. 

“Um, but that also means you pay attention to it. If you know what it looks like.” Yara didn’t have to look up at Kid to grin; her amusement could be heard plainly in her tone. Though she was usually thorough and careful, she paced herself slower than she normally would have needed to so that she could drag it out further. It wasn’t often her plan to fluster her brother actually worked and she wanted to get away with it for as long as she could.

“I know what Killer’s ass looks like, that doesn’t mean I pay a lot of attention to it!” if it was anyone else, he would have gotten grumbly or sarcastic, but with Yara everything turned sideways. He couldn’t cop his usual attitude with her, he knew without a doubt it would hurt her and he didn’t want that. So he was left with what basically felt like verbal flailing. And in all nine years he’s had with her, verbal flailing never worked. Yet somehow, he still tried, “You’ve got a bony ass but me knowing that doesn’t mean anything other than that I’ve been around you enough to know.”

Wiggling a little in her chair, Yara tilted her head further down to contemplate that before she shrugged and went back to work. “I’ve sat in your lap a lot. And sometimes you and Killer take baths together. So I’m still winning.” Being so much younger than her brother meant that he was smarter, that he knew ways around her logic. But right now, Yara felt like the smart one, like she somehow had latched on to something she could dangle over Kid’s head for once. Not that she meant anything malignant about it. It was just nice, sometimes, to win a teasing match as the younger sibling.

Stubborn, stubborn, stubborn little thing. Kid wanted nothing more than to cross his arms right now, but perhaps displaying his petulance physically wouldn’t do him any good. “He’s not my boyfriend. I barely even like him,” so apparently he was just going to be petulant in tone, instead. Simple denial was what he had to go with and perhaps the only defense he had, so he doubled down and decided that’s where he was going to stay. 

“If you say so, but you’re makin’ a big deal outta someone you barely like.” Feeling like she’d made her point, Yara decided to let it go for now. She couldn’t use all the weapons in her arsenal all at once, otherwise it wouldn’t be much fun later when she brought it up again. Deciding to continue humming in a decidedly more upbeat tone, Yara silently celebrated her win as she finished painting Kid’s nails.

“You’re makin’ a big deal outta him,” he responded before he could stop himself, wincing slightly as he heard just how obvious the pout in his voice was. Fuck, maybe he was nine years old too. But Yara was happy, that much was obvious, and he’d subject himself to pretty much anything to keep that the same. 

Once she fell quiet he did as well, watching her work. Her hands were still so small, but they were bigger than he remembered. Her hair seemed longer, too. Weird, considering he’d seen her less than twelve hours ago. Was this what it meant when people said they couldn’t believe how fast their kids grew? Because… he sure as hell had a hard time imagining her any older than five but damn… she was almost twice that now. How did that happen?

Once she really got focused, Yara’s humming slowed into something more familiar and then stopped altogether. The tip of her tongue peeked out from the corner of her lips, careful to pay attention to the rocking of the ship so she didn’t smudge anything as she finished applying two layers of polish and a clear coat over it to seal in the color. “There! All done.” Half crawling onto the desk, Yara put all the bottles away before smiling sheepishly up at Kid. “...I’m kinda hungry.”

At that he teasingly clicked his tongue, giving her a mischievous half grin in response, “I mean, what’s the rule? You tell me almost every time. How long was it we had to wait before I can go?” They always had to ensure that there was enough time to account for drying because Yara had made it quite clear she did not appreciate her hard work being smudged by impatient big brothers. “You’re not gonna leave me here all alone, are you?” two could play at this game. He had tricks of his own. 

“What iiiiiif Killer came and sat with you and I brought back breakfast for both of us? Besides, it’s your fault I had to fix it first thing, you went and messed up your nails overnight.” Standing on her chair to be more on Kid’s level, Yara rested her hands on her hips. Something about making herself seemed bigger felt important. Like he’d be more likely to take her seriously if she looked a little less small.

“But you’re supposed to keep me company,” he countered, making his eyes wider and his voice as earnest as possible, “nobody can do it as good as you do.” Yara was so cute when she played at being big but Kid could fight cute with sweet when he needed to. To be fair, he hadn’t meant to mess up his nails he just… got a bit fidgety with everything on his mind. 

“I’ll come right back,” Yara countered with a little whine, twisting her fingers together. “You don’t want me to starve, do you?” Tilting her head back, she made her eyes as wide as she could, making the most pathetic face she could muster. Overblown dramatic responses could be just as fun as teasing Kid, after all.

That made him laugh, his voice teasing and rich, “No, I don’t, but I watched you at dinner last night kiddo. You’ll be fine for another…” he trailed off then, grinning at her as he circled back to his previous question again. She wasn’t the only one in this room that could wheedle an answer out of their sibling, “Wait, remind me, how long was it you said we have to wait?”

“Ummm as long as it takes me to get breakfast and come back and feed it to you. Okay, byeee!” Hopping down off the chair, Yara made for the door. She trusted Kid enough to know that he wasn’t going to scoop her up or do something to mess up her work, but he was still a lot bigger than her and sat between her and the door. He could stop her with his bulk if nothing else, so she ducked as though she anticipated his movements and hoped she’d be fast enough to get by.

Melodramatic and full of overblown hurt, Kid threw himself back in his chair, squeezed his eyes shut, and heaved a mighty sigh as he bemoaned his fate, “Abandoned by the little sister I’ve sworn to protect with my very life, the baby I’ve raised since she was a baby. Left here to rot, alone in my boredom, starved for conversation! Forever alone…” 

Having successfully escaped from Kid, Yara got to the door and giggled as she looked back at him. Though he didn’t try and stop her, she still felt like she’d won. Just as quickly, she ran back across the room and climbed up onto her chair and then the desk so she could reach Kid to kiss his cheek. “I’ll be right back, you big baby,” she promised, tweaking his nose before hopping down again. On her way to the galley, Yara made a pit stop in Killer’s room so she could direct him to keep Kid company (and out of trouble) while she was gone.

Since he’d already been awake, Killer opened the door and sent Yara off for breakfast with a brief ruffle of her hair within seconds of her knock. There was enough between him and his captain that he made his way to Yara’s room without hesitation, pushing the door open and casually gesturing to Kid. “So, I guess she wasn’t exaggerating, huh? You really are stuck here for a while.” Crossing the room in a few long strides, Killer grabbed Yara’s chair and flipped it around to straddle it, eyeing his captain from behind his mask in an attempt to gauge his mood.

Once Yara had shut the door behind herself, Kid had taken the opportunity to straighten up and rock his head from side to side, stretching out the muscles in his neck as he carefully kept his fingers splayed over his knees. Though his fight with Killer had happened less than twenty four hours ago, Kid could be just as quick to calm down as he could be to explode in the first place. 

Lucky for Killer, this was one of those times. Lifting his head and cracking his eyes open as the door swung open again, Kid watched Killer silently as the other man entered the room. Just because he wasn’t angry enough to threaten murder didn’t mean he was willing to start this conversation. 

Killer and Kid had been through the worst of their lives together. He had been there in the aftermath of the murder of Kid’s parents and younger sister; through the years where they squatted in abandoned houses, wore threadbare clothes and ate from the garbage; through all the anger, fear, uncertainty and grief that were the first seventeen years of their respective lives. Killer knew how to read his captain, and knew what his silence meant. “Look, I said what I had to say. Have you thought about it?”

“What do you think?” though Kid’s words were sharp, it was a mostly rhetorical question. Killer should damn well know the answer to that already. While he was ready to finally discuss some of the specifics regarding his strange sense of trust in Law that didn’t mean he was going to make the conversation easy. Fine, so he might still be a little testy at the accusation Killer leveled at him the day before - Kid could take a lot, but suggesting he’d willfully put his sister in danger was not one of those things. 

Letting out a deep breath, Killer realized this was one of those moments where Kid probably misinterpreted him. His captain was stubborn and often took things his own way regardless of his or anyone else’s intent. “Kid. I’m just trying to understand why you don’t feel threatened by him. Why you feel comfortable enough to get so close. I don’t see anything but a void.”

Taking a deep breath, Kid held it for a moment before he let it out with a sigh, bowing his back to stretch through his shoulders as he bought himself time to formulate a response. It was a reasonable enough request, he figured, as long as it was a standalone question. As he searched for the right words he found explaining his why wasn’t really in the cards; he couldn’t formulate a response that made sense in his head. But what he could do was lay out the facts, hope it would lead Killer to the same understanding, “He had a kid sister. Called her Lamy.”

“Just because he had a sister doesn’t mean he won’t target yours.” There wasn’t enough gravity in Killer’s tone for him to be leveling any sort of accusation Kid’s way. He was simply stating fact. The fact that Kid had used the past tense wasn’t lost on him, and given the way the world worked Killer was leaning toward this sister of Trafalgar’s being dead rather than just estranged. 

“Yeah, I know,” Kid aqueased somewhat uneasily. He knew that what Killer was saying was entirely possible, but it just didn’t _feel_ like Law was a danger to her. “It’s just…” rolling his head back on his neck, Kid huffed out air between pursed lips as he stared at the ceiling, “I get it. I know. But... “

Straightening up, Kid shook his head, eyes wandering along the wood grain of the walls as he kept trying to explain things properly, “I found him in mourning a little while back. Told him about Kat, just that I’d lost her too. It felt… I dunno.” This was frustrating. Struggling to explain something to Killer was so unusual for him that it just heightened his discomfort with this whole thing. 

Killer nodded slowly, piecing together enough of what Kid was trying to say. “You feel like you have some sort of connection with him? And he just… feels... trustworthy to you?” His questions were more for clarification than born from doubt. It was a bit of a tough pill to swallow, but Kid usually didn’t just trust people. He got angry at the smallest slight but Killer had overheard the two of them bantering and Kid hadn’t once gotten out of control. So he supposed there must be something there, and Killer had to admit he hadn’t interacted with Trafalgar long enough to see for himself what there may or may not be.

At that Kid nodded, though he sounded almost a bit sheepish in his initial response, “... Yeah. But it sounds stupid when you say it out loud.” Flexing his fingers as much as he could without rubbing them together he shifted, placing both feet flat on the floor and pushing a little, just enough to ground himself, “And I figured out why he saved Straw Hat. Did it because the guy’s got a D. in his name, said he felt like he hadn’t done what he was meant to do yet.”

“Hm.” These were things to consider and ultimately Killer wasn’t trying to make Kid get permission to continue whatever it was he was doing with Trafalgar. All he wanted was for his captain to actually think about the bigger picture. If he had reason to believe the other captain was safe to be around, at least for now, then Killer wouldn’t question him. “...I noticed he left all the marines on his side of the line alive,” Killer added slowly, bringing it up only because it felt relevant in case this budding friendship (if it could even be called that) went up in flames. “So far, he hasn’t gone out of his way to really even hurt anyone. I suppose that’s a point in his favor.”

That made Kid snort, raising his eyebrow as he gave Killer a doubtful look, “Yeah, ‘cause that’s what you want in a pirate captain, a big old bleeding heart.” While Kid didn’t go out of his way to kill innocent civilians, he didn’t hesitate when it came to slaughtering countless Marines or underworld thugs and if some innocents got caught up in that, well, it sucks to be collateral damage.

“Obviously he’s not. He wouldn’t have such a large bounty if he was.” Killer wasn’t going to explain his point further. He had no desire to defend Trafalgar. It just seemed to bode well in case things did go downhill. “What is this thing between you two, anyway? Are we heading toward an alliance, or are you just messing around for fun?” Again, there was no judgement in his tone. As second in command, Killer just wanted to be ready for any potential alliance there may or may not be between them.

“Do you have to keep asking complicated fucking questions?” while Kid’s look was pointed, it was clear from his tone that he was playfully exasperated more than genuinely annoyed. “Does it matter?” With a short groan Kid rolled his eyes, jumping back in before Killer had a chance to comment because yeah, of course it mattered, “I don’t know. Yet. It’s fun. Whatever.”

Nodding, Killer let his posture relax and kicked his legs out in front of him. “Okay. Just give me a heads up if it’s going to be more than just this fun whatever.” With that, he considered the matter settled. What else was there to really discuss, anyway? Kid wasn’t going to put Yara in danger, that much he knew, and at least there seemed to be reasons why he felt comfortable with the other Supernova. Kid could have his fun and he’d worry more if it got serious.

Posture relaxing now that Killer seemed ready to move on from the topic at hand, Kid stretched out his own feet and plopped both ankles one atop the other over Killer’s. That done he shot him a grin, wiggling his toes inside his boots - more for his own benefit than anyone else’s, because the movement wasn’t visible through the heavy leather, “Wanna paint my toes while I wait for my nails to dry?” The mile wide grin on his face at the comment gave lie to any sense of seriousness he was trying to get across. 

Snorting, Killer glanced over Kid’s shoulder at the door for a moment before he shook his head. “Nah. I think your sister that might kill me and between that and the stink, I’d rather not have to change my name to Killed.” Now that there was some distance between their brief disagreement, he could appreciate the clever twist on his name, and if nothing else he knew Kid would be amused.

The half huff, half snort of amusement that got in response made it evident that Kid was ready to move on too. Yara and Killer were the two people that mattered most to him in this world and he wasn’t one to hold onto disagreements just for the sheer sake of being mad. “It was funnier when I said it,” he teased, rearranging their legs so his feet wound up in Killer’s lap instead, stretching himself out between them. 

“Of course, you’re the true comedian of the ship,” Killer agreed flatly. Kid liked telling jokes, but usually he was the only one who really found them funny. He had a sense of humor more suitable for Yara’s age, but Killer wondered if part of that might come from having had to raise her starting when he was just 14. Part of him had been stuck in that mindset for too long. 

“I am the captain,” Kid responded, as though that actually mattered in this case. Impatiently waving his fingers in the air for a moment before scooting down into his seat a little, Kid lifted one leg and thrust it as close to Killer’s face as he could, “If you’re not gonna paint them, you could at least rub my calves while I’m stuck here. Muscle’s tight.”

“We’ve got a doctor for that,” Killer replied, pushing Kid’s leg back down to where it was previously resting in his lap. “And footstools, for that matter,” he mock-complained. They were close enough that physical affection came easy between them. Killer had gotten used to Kid wanting to be close - he’d been that way since they were kids. When he was younger he thought it was weird that someone who lived through the shit Kid did wanted to be touched but he supposed when it was by someone he wanted and on his own terms that made all the difference.

“Sure, the ship’s got a doctor, but I’ve got you,” though it was said to wheedle out the luxury of a massage from his second, Kid didn’t bother trying to hide the obvious warmth threaded through his words. He wouldn’t be where he was without his helmeted other half and Kid felt no need to hide the love he felt for him. “C’mon,” it was then he flashed Killer a grin, obviously being pert even as he played at begging, “please?”

Considering his comrades were all big men in boots, Yara’s soft footsteps were easy to tell apart. The smell of food wafted into the room as she entered, three plates balanced precariously between her arms. Heat poked his head in after and made a face when he saw both the captain and first mate occupying the room. “I tried to help her carry some things, but she was insistent she could do it herself,” he said immediately, as though one or the other would fault him for making the Captain’s favorite do so much by herself.

Killer cut the conversation by holding up a hand. “It’s fine. You know by now she’s just as stubborn as he brother,” he said, though there was affection in the tone. Yara replied by sticking her tongue out at him and carefully sliding the plates onto her desk for the three of them to share.

Nodding his head in acknowledgement to Heat, Kid turned to Yara to do the same thing verbally, “Thanks, Sprout.” This was… this was worth it all. The shitty weeks, months, years of scrabbling to live where the ground was rock and the people were even harder than that. The warmth, the peace, the smile on his sister’s face, the comforting presence of his friends and brothers-in-arms. This was what it felt like to live the good life. He wouldn’t trade that in for anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Akimao](http://akimao.tumblr.com/post/182471379601/fix-it-for-me-middle-fingers-in-the-air) has outdone herself and provided more art from this chapter, featuring Yara!


	13. *Another Moment of Peace

The first time Law was jostled, it was gentle. It was easy enough to pass it off as the shifting of the current. He was a light sleeper anyway and the slightest movement had a habit of bringing him to some level of consciousness if not full alertness. The pause was long enough that Law thought he’d be able to sleep again, but the next time was more insistent and more clearly a pair of hands pressing against his side and shaking him ever so slightly. Which was confusing, because everyone knew not to interrupt Law’s sleep like this - even if it was an emergency, it was safer to knock which was always enough to wake him. 

Jerking awake, Law sat bolt upright, arm reaching for his sword out of habit. Halfway through the movement, though, his arm changed direction to shield his eyes. It was so much brighter than it was possible to be under water. As he blinked and took in his surroundings, Law knew immediately he had to be dreaming. He was laying in a neatly made bed tucked in the corner of a simply furnished room. 

A rectangular window on the connecting wall near the foot of his bed was the source of the bright light, curtains drawn to welcome the morning sun. A desk sat beneath the window with a bookshelf to the left, clearly used judging by the patches where the varnish had been worn away, the corners softened with time. In spite of its age, it still shone a warm almond brown under the sunlight that filtered through. Notebooks were open across the surface, medical books stacked in piles on the desk. There was even a plush rug that took up most of the open floor space.

None of those things were particularly shocking, though. Just the normal furniture that could have made up anyone’s room. The strange thing, the thing that made him so sure this wasn’t real, was the reason he’d woken up. It hadn’t been the brightness of the sun, but the fact that he’d been gently roused by Corazon, who was sitting on the edge of the bed and smiling somewhat sheepishly at him.

“Hey sleepyhead,” looking a little bashful, Corazon reached out and smoothed his hand across Law’s forehead, brushing the hair back from his head. He wouldn’t normally wake Law, he knew how hard it was for the younger man to get true rest, but his heart was too soft so sit idly why while he heard Law crying out in his dreams, “... it sounded like you were having a nightmare.” That said, Cora leaned in, brushing his lips across the same path his palm had just taken, “Everything’s okay, I’m here.”

It felt so real. It was exactly like Law remembered, when Corazon used to soothe him through their travels - once Law finally opened up enough to let him. He’d longed for it in those first years after he was alone again. Longed for it so strongly it would have been easy to just let himself fall into this. He felt the color drain from him as he looked at Corazon; not so impossibly big anymore now that he’d grown himself - his face had even aged some. It was so… believable. “...you’re dead…” was all he managed to say, the words a dry croak once he’d found the energy to speak.

That comment drew a startled laugh from Cora, surprise showing on his face for a moment before he mustered a response, “I guess it was a nightmare, huh?” Shaking his head Cora resituated himself, sitting against the headboard so he could gently pull Law in against his side, tucking his head into the crook of his hip. “If I was dead, would I have a heartbeat?” as he posited the question Cora lifted Law’s hand, slipping his own wrist between slender fingers to allow Law to feel his pulse. 

This was so familiar. It was so visceral, Law felt like he’d been standing in the tiny tornado Kid had made out of sand; skin rubbed completely raw, everything open and exposed to the elements. Corazon’s voice even sounded the way he remembered. He’d been forgetting what he sounded like lately; no matter how hard he tried to hold onto the memories they slipped away little by little. This was nothing like that, though. This was so rich, so real, he was afraid to take the offered proof. His grip was weak and loose at first before he finally pressed his pointer and middle fingers over Corazon’s wrist. Law held his breath until he felt the tiny fluttering feeling of a pulse beneath his fingertips. “...you have a heartbeat…” he murmured weakly, overwhelmed.

With a soft, quiet little sigh Corazon responded gently, voice soothing as he started to card the fingers of his free hand through Law’s hair, “Of course I do.” It always worried him, to see Law like this, disoriented and out of sorts. He’d been through so much in his young life, Cora just wanted him to find peace, especially in the moments where it should have come easy.

His dreams had always been vivid. Nightmares especially liked to remind him of what he’d lost, what he was afraid of, what he was fighting for. But this was so… peaceful. Even if it wasn’t real, at least for now his mind was calm. Closing his eyes, Law released Corazon’s wrist and breathed in deeply before looking up at the older man with a smug grin. “Have you figured out how to make me breakfast without burning the place down?”

That earned Law a put upon sign and a mournful look. Corazon waffled back and forth on his answer for a moment, trying to decide which route to take, before finally settling on a pout, “You think so little of me.” But it was all an obtuse way to avoid answering the question, which at the end of the day, accurately would be responded to with a bashful yet resounding ‘no.’

“I think of you exactly what you are. Stunningly, beautifully clumsy.” It was perhaps a bit overblown, but at the moment seeing one of the people he held so dear to him living and breathing again made him a bit soft. Law would be lying if he didn’t admit to having a bit of a crush on Corazon that grew as they traveled together, and it blossomed in him now, seeing him again.

He had been a mix of a parental figure and silly older sibling and Law had been at an age where - in the quiet moments at least - he’d been able to recognize the feelings that came with being on the cusp of being a teenager. Not that he was seeking anything along those lines right now. This was more than enough for him. The sun washing over them, warm and calm and happy. 

At that Corazon couldn’t hide the blush that rose to his cheeks but he was so obviously pleased with the comment there was no doubt otherwise. “I’ve got to keep you entertained,” he opined then, a playful grin coming out to grace his features, “no?” If he only did one thing in his life and that thing was making Law happy Corazon would consider it the best life he possibly could have lived. 

Maybe it was wishful thinking but it almost seemed like details of this life were surfacing and what he thought was real started bleeding together with these new details until reality was just a hazy concept he wasn’t too keen to explore right now. “You stopped smoking.” Law felt… giddy. There were new facts to learn about Corazon. He thought he’d known everything, but here was one small thing that was new. “Look at us. Domestics.” Law couldn’t hide a chuckle; he was a doctor here. They lived in a small house in the middle of a farming town. He did mundane things like set broken bones and deliver babies, and right now it was fucking beautiful. 

“Well,” Cora chided then, voice playfully scolding, “I’m domestic. You still like to go to sea and cause trouble for me from time to time.” Pleased to see that Law seemed to be settling down, Cora moved his hand and started brushing featherlight touches over Law’s shoulders and down his spine - anything to help him stay grounded and centered. 

“That’s your punishment for lying to me about being a Marine.” In spite of the words, Law’s voice was so light he couldn’t be taken for anything but playful. Dream or not, it was better than his most recent memories which were rapidly swirling away as though sucked down a drain. He was filled with newer memories of his life here and it felt just like it always did after waking up after a vivid nightmare. At first, the nightmare seemed real until it was swiftly pulled away and replaced with reality. He’d never felt that in a dream before. 

Looking down at the floor, Cora pressed his lips together in a pout as though he’d been caught with his hand in the cookie jar and was now trying to find any logical explanation to get himself out of trouble. “... It was more lying to Doflamingo than it was to you,” he tried then, voice light and slightly pitiful, as though that would convince Law it was a good excuse. 

“Ah, whatever. Fuck that guy. I want breakfast.” Law couldn’t remember the last time he’d been in such a good mood. He and Corazon lived together and even though he’d still suffered through the loss of his family and country, he had this one good thing. He even remembered the herb garden the two of them had painstakingly planted so he could experiment with different medicinal remedies. His parents would be proud. He had a fucking garden and put bandaids on skinned knees. Hell, his sister would be proud too. 

Brightening immediately, Corazon lifted his head to send a big grin Law’s way, “I can do that!” Shifting, Cora was careful to set Law’s head down on his pillow before bolting upright. Yet it was his very desire to please Law that sent him tumbling down to the floor almost immediately after - he may have remembered to remove Law’s head from his leg but he hadn’t remembered to uncross his ankles before he tried to stand. 

Rolling onto his stomach so he could peek over the edge of the bed, Law smirked down at Corazon. “Did you hide a breakfast tray under my bed?” he asked, sarcastically offering the other man an out from his current situation that was a bit more elegant than the truth. Thinly veiled teasing was really all it was. 

“Maybe you should come back here and let me examine you to make sure you didn’t break anything.” The offer was coupled with a suggestive eyebrow raise that somehow felt familiar, like he’d made overt and juvenile come-ons so many times it was second nature. Seeing Corazon blush was all the payoff he needed.

That payoff was exactly what Law got, the color rising high and easily visible on Cora’s cheeks. “I’m fine,” he mumbled into the rug, turning his face the other way to try and hide his blush as he pushed himself to his feet. Breakfast. He was going to get Law breakfast, “You stay there, I’ll be right back with everything you love to eat!” He sounded so damn cheerful, so happy to be taking care of Law.

Law sent Corazon off with a laugh, pushing himself onto his back to stare up at the ceiling. It was taller than most, which made sense considering it was a home he shared with a man just shy of ten feet tall. There was no confinement to be felt in this room, with its tall ceilings and wide picture window. Pushing himself out of bed, Law crossed the room to the desk and the bookshelf, fingertips bobbing over the curved spines of the various tomes that filled the space. 

This was the life he imagined when Corazon talked about the two of the going away together once they’d found Law’s cure. Such a 180° from the ten year old who wanted to take down as many people with him as he could. Something about Corazon’s optimism, maybe. It wasn’t what he set out to do when he’d escaped Flevance, but compared to the ever-fading nightmare he’d just woken up from it was certainly preferable. And it wasn’t like he was just sitting idly by. He had contacts in the revolutionary army, and sometimes whenever someone in the area was in need of a discreet doctor they would stop by in person. He was doing his part to dismantle the machine that had destroyed his life but it was done with a sense of freedom.

The open notebook on the desk was detailing the properties of valerian root. While useful as a sleep aid, noted amongst the side effects was ‘strangely vivid dreams’. How appropriate. If only that horrible, alternate version of himself knew about valerian root. 

About twenty minutes, two burnt fingers, and six muttered curse words later Cora returned to Law’s room with hands full of breakfast treats. Well, at least what Law would consider treats. Law’s tastes were very specific and often meant he ate certain things at certain times of day that most other people would find odd. A strange but endearing fact. So instead the plate was piled high with rice balls, steamed fish, fruit and one bite sized piece of brownie. He wanted to be able to satisfy any craving Law might be feeling, “Breakfast is served!”

Looking up from the notes he’d left open on his desk, he turned and grinned at Corazon again. “Didn’t burn down the house, but you did burn your hand,” he commented, nodding to the two fingers tinged an angry red. They looked like they would likely blister, too. Given the food on the plate, Law couldn’t quite imagine how Corazon managed to burn himself so badly. He took the offered plate and set it on his desk before catching the taller man’s hand and inspecting the injured fingers for a moment before looking up at him seriously. “This looks pretty bad. I think I’ll have to amputate them.”

The little yelp that engendered from Corazon was sudden, the taller man snatching his hand away in an instant, “They’ll heal okay on their own!” While he knew that Law was joking (Well, was like… 98.9% sure that Law was joking.) it didn’t stop him from the immediately startled and protective reaction. He liked his fingers just as they were, thank you: attached.

Still looking solemn, Law advanced forward to try and snatch Corazon’s hand back. “If I don’t, they’ll just turn black and fall off on their own. Trust me, I’m a doctor.” By the end of his sentence, he couldn’t help but smirk. It seemed his dark sense of humor followed him even in this happy place. 

“They will not,” Cora countered with a stammer in his words, backing up each time Law took a step forward. “I’m not a doctor,” he continued with as much conviction as he could manage to put into his voice, defending his two burnt fingers by wrapping the fingers of his other hand around them gently, “but I’ve burned myself a lot and they’ve always been fine.”

“You look a little nervous, Cora-san,” Law teased, backing him up until he was against the wall and then standing so they were almost touching. “I guess I’ll let you keep your fingers. Breakfast looks more appetizing anyway,” he finished with a wide grin, showing teeth before turning back and grabbing one of the rice balls. He could see why Baby 5 and Buffalo had so much fun teasing Corazon when they were younger. 

Flustered, flushed red with embarrassment, and famished, Cora stood stock straight against the wall for a few moments after Law left, trying to decide which of those three emotions were going to win out over the others. Turns out that - like most men - an empty belly would compel him to almost anything. So once he’d taken a few deep breaths to calm himself down Cora stepped forward and smoothed his hands down the front of his shirt as though tidying up the rumpled fabric would help the flush on his cheeks fade. He’d been wrong; he was still bright red when he took a seat next to Law.

Law smiled briefly at Corazon around the mouthful of rice he was currently chewing. It was kind of cute how flustered he’d gotten. Once he finished the first rice ball, Law made small talk over their garden and the influx of people with a particularly nasty strain of virus he’d been trying to contain for the past week. No one had died, but it could be dangerous for the elderly and the infants in town so it was taking up a lot of his free time. How could he have forgotten all this just because of a nightmare?

Once breakfast was over, Law stood and stretched and watched as Corazon did the same. Even though it was just a dream, he could still remember the crippling grief he’d felt over the older man’s death and he felt his expression soften somewhat as Corazon stooped to gather the tray he’d brought their meal in on.

Straightening with his burden in hand, Cora grunted softly and scrabbled to level out his grip on the tray before the dishes all went sliding off one side and on to the floor. It was a bit of a juggling act for a second and he had to catch the rim of one glass with his mouth but, somewhat miraculously, he’d managed to right himself fully without spilling anything. That done he turned to face Law, intent on telling him he’d return once he’d taken everything to be washed, but he the words halted in his throat as soon as he saw the look on Law’s face. It was impossible to ignore, Cora’s own eyes going mushy with affection as he watched Law, “You look so soft, it’s sweet.”

Law’s immediate response was to scoff, turning his head away briefly to school his expression into something more appropriately dark. But when he looked back again, he wasn’t quite successful. “...I’m just glad it was a dream. That you’re alive,” he muttered, not quite managing to look Corazon in the face as he spoke.

Corazon’s soft chuckle filled the room at that, floor to ceiling, and draped around Law like a warm blanket. Though he’d been so proud of himself for managing to get the tray full of dishes loaded up and into his arms without breaking it, Cora set it down without a second thought and reached out, pulling Law into his arms before resting his lips on the crown of Law’s head. He just held the younger man for a long moment, keeping him close, before he spoke softly against the dense strands of Law’s hair, “I love you.”

His instinct would have usually been to duck out of the affection, but coming from Corazon he’d accept it. He’d earned Law’s affection by now. Leaning into the hug, Law brought his arms around to return it, hands pressed against the small of Corazon’s back as he closed his eyes. The warmth that had buoyed his spirits upon waking enveloped him all at once. The temperature was comforting at first but it rapidly increased and for a moment Law was worried Corazon had somehow managed to catch himself on fire like he used to whenever he’d smoke. 

All at once, the heat and light vanished and Law held on tighter on reflex. Something wet dripped in his hair from above, one of the thick drops sliding down his forehead and down his cheek. Sticky and dense, more like sap than water. He didn’t want to look up, but he knew what he would see when he did. Deep red blood had oozed out of the front and back of Corazon’s shirt. Law could feel it pooling against where his hands rested just above his waist. Though his face had been clean just a second ago, the joker-esque make-up Law remembered from his youth was present once more. 

The room had gone dark around them and it seemed like they were standing in the only pool of dim light that existed; beyond that was nothing but engulfing blackness. It was cold now, too, both the air and Corazon’s body frigid and icy - Law felt weighed down as though passing through snow. Eyes still open, Corazon blinked down at him and frowned, looking concerned. “What’s wrong, Law? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

He wanted to step away but the oozing blood had frozen their bodies together. Law felt bile in his throat and all he could do was stare up at the other man’s face as color slowly left him, until he was as pale as the snow he’d died in. “Law? Law! Hey, wake up, it’s ok. I’m okay.” The pitch of Corazon’s voice became distorted, sometimes too loud and sometimes whisper quiet. There was a haze around his face until Law blinked and realized he’d just been watching him through tears.

The sound of a pounding heartbeat filled Law’s ears and his vision tunnelled long enough for him to feel like he might lose balance. Disoriented he blinked a few times and shook his head, and the heartbeat gradually softened until it faded altogether. “I deserve this, Law. Don’t forget that I lied to you. You remember how much you hate the Marines.” The voice was both Corazon’s and not; something deeper and more sinister seemed to be talking at the same time as though it was two overlapping voices he was hearing. 

As the dizziness faded, Law blinked until he could see again and when he looked up at Corazon he saw why. Standing behind his brother, chest to back, was Doflamingo. His grin was impossibly wide, one hand curled under Corazon’s chin to move his mouth so they were both speaking. Law almost couldn’t hear them over a sudden low groan, like a dying animal. “I never loved you. You were just a tool to hurt my brother. Aren’t you glad I’m dead?”

The groan grew louder, sharper in its intensity and it wasn’t until the ache in his chest grew to be almost unbearable that Law realized it was coming from him. He wasn’t holding on to Corazon anymore, but his corpse. Doflamingo’s laughter echoed around them and Law wanted to cover his ears but his hands were stuck. He began thrashing wildly, jerking his body back and forth so hard his shoulders ached and protested, elbows straining at the effort until he was finally able to tear his hands free. No longer anchored, Law stumbled backward into total darkness now, but the laughter remained. He clapped his palms over his ears and felt the hot surge of blood against the sides of his face from where he’d torn off layers of skin from the palms of his hands. 

Nothing he did drowned out the sounds anymore. He staggered backward until he fell and a thousand invisible threads started to pull at his body, dragging him back the way he’d come. Law continued to struggle, scrabbling at the ground and thrashing against the bindings, screaming and screaming until-

A feeling of free-falling before he slammed into the floor face first. This time, there was no confusion over what was reality. Law knew he was awake now. Instead of pushing himself upright, he just remained where he was with one arm bent under him and the other splayed out to the side, knees throbbing where they’d impacted the floor. A marionette whose strings had been violently cut. Pathetic.

After what might have been five minutes or fifty, Law pushed himself up to his hands and knees first. Migraines almost always followed dreams like this and this morning was no exception. Biting back the wave of nausea, Law caught the edge of his bed and forced the rest of his body to comply until he was sitting on the edge of his cot.

The bedding was a wreck. His pillows were nowhere to be seen; the blanket was twisted in on itself and balled up on the bottom corner of his mattress; there were two fist-sized holes torn in the sheets. Law felt like he’d aged ten years. 

By the time he emerged from his room, he’d been awake five hours. It was nine o’clock in the morning and every now and then before he’d left, he heard tentative footsteps moving past his door as the rest of the crew went on with their morning business. It was eerily silent even with the engines running. Law made his way to the large open room they used for meals and whatever other recreation there was to be had down here. 

The crew that wasn’t operating the ship had gathered for breakfast. What hushed conversation there had been when he entered halted immediately as Law entered the room but he felt too much like walking garbage to scold any of them for it. He simply stalked over to the stove where the coffee was and poured himself a cup, then sank into the first seat he could find to drink it.

“Uh… Captain…” as their leader strode into the mess hall and looked - quite unsurprisingly - a mess himself, Bepo felt his heart go out to him. As he spoke it was quiet, said more to himself than anyone else, but he didn’t dare move to help Law quite yet. None of them did; they knew better than to make it look like they were trying to care for him, even if that’s exactly what they were doing. So he waited and watched, studying Law from behind his glass of milk as he looked for an opening. 

Penguin and Shachi shared uncertain looks with each other, in the same boat as Bepo. Their captain was usually so collected and calm, even if a little erie, that seeing him like this had them all at a loss. It wasn’t a rare situation, to be sure, but no one had figured out the best course of action yet. He was usually back to normal by dinnertime but they all couldn’t help but feel like there was more they could be doing to help.

For his part, Law was ignoring his crew entirely. He barely had enough energy to get here, let alone face any of them and their pity. He knew he’d screamed in his sleep, could feel it in the rawness of his throat. A tiny part of him wondered how long they would follow a captain with such a weakness, but the overwhelming majority of him didn’t care. Where he was going, sometimes he thought he might be better off without more people to be used against him. If only he could man the ship himself; it wasn’t like he ever slept, anyway.

It was Bepo that finally made the first move, about seven minutes later, once it looked like Law had drank most of his coffee. Rising as unobtrusively as his large bulk would allow, Bepo went back into the galley and put together a small meal for Law: rice balls, a few pieces of fish, and a glass of water. Hoping his captain would eat but fairly certain he wouldn’t, Bepo took the meal out to him nonetheless, trying to keep his tone casual as he spoke, “Uh, morning… Captain. I brought you breakfast…”

Blinking up at the Mink, Law took in the sight of the meal he’d brought. The food their cook prepared was always good. It wasn’t fancy or extravagant but it was more than just edible. But right now, seeing the same meal that had been offered up in his dream made him nearly vomit. Shaking his head, Law pushed the plate away and tried to hide how pale he’d just gone. “...not right now,” he croaked, though when he caught sight of Bepo’s crestfallen face, he added, “migraine.” 

“Oh,” looking conflicted, Bepo hesitated for a moment before he stepped back with plate still in hand, acquiescing to his Captain’s wishes, “okay.” Unsure what to do with himself now Bepo cast a look around as though he’d find inspiration somewhere in the four gray walls of this room. When that didn’t happen but he found Shachi and Penguin sitting across the way he decided to rejoin them - maybe they’d have better ideas on how to help Law.

Frowning, both Shachi and Penguin leaned in when Bepo returned, speaking in hushed tones. “What’d he say? Is the Captain all right?” Law had his hood pulled up around his head and at this angle they couldn’t see his face to get a read on his expression. He was never in a good mood after a nightmare, but his interactions with them varied enough that they weren’t ever really sure which version of their captain they were going to get. 

“Migraine,” Bepo intoned with all the seriousness he could muster. The plate of food in his hand looked tiny in comparison to his stature and it made him all the sadder that Law wouldn’t eat any of it, “He won’t eat.” Their captain was so strong and so easy to devote oneself to but there were times like this where Bepo couldn’t help but think that Law needed someone to take care of him the way he took care of all of them.

The three of them weren’t alone at the table. Jean Bart took up one entire side and Ikkaku sat in the remaining seat. They both silently watched the interactions between their captain and the three who had served under him the longest. It seemed like if there was anyone who could help, it would be one of them, but Ikkaku rose next, disappearing in the back before returning with a package of crackers. She sat beside Law, pushing the open package into his line of sight. “...these help settle my stomach when I’m not feeling well. And it’s not bread, Captain, so don’t argue.”

Law blinked down at the offering, then lifted his head to meet Ikkaku’s gaze. He didn’t like seeing the pity in the eyes of any of his crew, but she just looked determined. They cared about him, he knew. In spite of his attempt to keep them all at an arm’s length, it didn’t seem to work at all. He could feel the weight of the other four pair of eyes watching them, waiting to see if he would eat. Slowly, he uncurled the fingers on his free hand from the fist they’d been clenched in, reaching for one of the crackers. Medically speaking, he knew that food like this was what he should be eating rather than plain black coffee on its own. 

Without taking her eyes off him, Ikkaku watched as Law slowly started to eat, relaxing a little into a grateful smile. “Thanks,” Law murmured once his mouth wasn’t full. His demeanor was still not welcoming, but he hadn’t rebuffed her entirely which was a good sign. Bobbing her head in acknowledgement, Ikkaku moved back to the rest of the crew, triumphant. 

Law finished half the sheaf of crackers he was offered before he retreated back to his own room. He felt a little better with something in his stomach, overwhelmed with exhaustion rather than the blind grief and fury he’d felt upon waking from his nightmare. Usually, he preferred to be left entirely alone when he was feeling this way and admittedly could be unfairly unpleasant to those of his crew who were just trying to look out for him. Maybe there was something to be said for letting them get close when he was feeling so vulnerable. They so clearly wanted to be helpful. 

As predicted, Law emerged again for dinner. He hadn’t gotten any more sleep, but he’d mostly gotten his head back on straight and was in a marginally better mood when he reached the dining hall. In unspoken apology for his earlier behavior, he sat next to Bepo after getting his meal rather than sitting alone. He knew how much the crew valued the time he spent with them. 

The moment it was clear Law was taking the open seat next to his, Bepo lit up with childlike joy, “Hi, Captain.” Though his tone would still have sounded flat to those unfamiliar with him, the crew could easily pick up on the excitement bubbling under the surface, “Dinner looks good tonight. Fish.”

Feeling himself smile, Law sat back in his seat to look up at Bepo. “Do you think you like fish so much because you’re a Mink? Or just because it’s good?” he asked, half-teasing. He would never address what happened in the night and his response in the morning, but this was his way of expressing that he was feeling better without having to come out and say it.

At that Bepo colored slightly, ducking his head to paw at his face a couple times as he spoke, “You guys like fish too and you’re not minks...” For all that his tone was a bit put out, Bepo knew his captain was just teasing and he was more than happy to engage in the play. Law had proven from the very first time they met that he had no ill will toward Bepo or his kind - it was one of the things that made Bepo so loyal. 

Smirking, Law just dug in to his food, not one to take things too far with the people who actually mattered to him. The rest of the crew at the table seemed relieved that their captain seemed to be in better spirits. Ikkaku nudged Bepo and gestured to Law. “If our Captain here _was_ a Mink, what kind of Mink do you think he’d be?” she asked, wanting to continue the conversation to keep him engaged. They were all so worried whenever he shut down like he usually did after a difficult night.

The moment Ikkaku asked it, the seriousness of the question immediately resonated with Bepo. It was a sacred question, it needed to be considered carefully and the right answer needed to be given the first time. “Hm…” he nodded a bit to acknowledge her before turning to Law, leaning in and taking a deep whiff of his captain’s scent. That seemed like a good place to start.

When she’d first asked it, Law was pretty curious about how Bepo would answer, too. However, the sudden closeness of his navigator threw him off and so did the following deep inhale. Leaning away, Law frowned at Bepo. “...why did you just smell me?” he asked flatly, partially due to a swell of self-consciousness. He had a horrible night and didn’t have the energy to take a shower yet. Perhaps a silly concern where Bepo was concerned, but still. 

“To see if you smell like the mountains, the valleys, or the seas,” Bepo answered, unconcerned with his captain’s recoil; that was very much like Law, after all. He had rather anticipated it, which was why he moved so fast - he needed to get a good judge of his scent in before Law scooted out of reach. The good news was, Bepo had been quick enough and he had his answer to that first question. Now he set to studying Law’s physical features, lips pursed as he took in every detail of the man in front of him - sure, he saw him every day but there was always details about somebody that could be overlooked. 

“...I live on a submarine, I’m pretty sure that means I smell like the sea,” Law countered, sitting up straight again now that he had his space to himself. The rest of the crew at the table all seemed captivated by this process Bepo had undertaken to identify which sort of Mink he would be. Law sighed, picking at his food again. “I think you’re taking this a little too seriously,” he continued, though his tone wasn’t dismissive. 

“No,” the shake of Bepo’s head was immediate and final, “maybe that means your clothes and skin smell like the sea, but not that _you_ smell like the sea.” He had a few ideas in his head but he wasn’t certain yet - this required more study. Reaching out Bepo captured Law’s wrists in one of his paws, measuring the circumference in claw length before rubbing a few strands of Law’s hair between paw pads to judge its actual texture.

Slouching in his chair in defeat, Law allowed himself to be examined but his expression made it clear he didn’t like it. “I didn’t realize this would be such an invasive question,” he complained, shooting a slight glare at Ikkaku. Instead of looking nervous, she smiled and shrugged in response. She knew if he was truly in too poor a mood to tolerate this treatment, he’d make it clear. The fact he was putting up with it spoke volumes for his improved mental state.

A few more minutes passed in which Bepo looked Law over this way and that, took stock of his pulse rate, and at one point rubbed at Law’s skin before licking that paw pad in order to get a sense for how he tasted. All that said and done it was with a sharp, certain nod that Bepo finally announced he had finally decided on the answer, humming softly as he spoke more to himself than the table at large, “... Yes.”

If it was someone else subjected to this sort of inspection, Law would have been amused. The fact that it was him, though, just made him squirm. Apparently Bepo was taking this further than just the simple assessment of his personality that he would have expected. But, he supposed that was what he was in for when it came to a question like this for the only Mink on board. Law sometimes thought the navigator got lonely; he had a plan in place for that once it was time to go to Dressrosa. “Well…?” Law started when Bepo didn’t immediately provide an answer.

As pleased and certain of his answer as he could possibly be, Bepo announced it to the table without fanfare or explanation. The reasons this was the appropriate choice for Law were obviously clear after all. Smiling broadly he intoned to the group at large one simple word, “Camel.”

The uproar this caused at the table made Law incredibly grateful his migraine had subsided. For his part he just blinked, eyes narrowing as he tried to figure out why in God’s name Bepo decided he would be a camel of all things. He was expecting some sort of cat or something; they were supposed to be aloof and independent, which is what he felt were some of his defining characteristics. “...a camel…” he repeated after a moment when no explanation was offered.

Bepo nodded then, his delight at his discovery clear in his eyes. After a moment though the ruckus of the rest of the table caught his attention and he turned to face them, visibly deflating at the laughter. It didn’t make sense to him. He was serious and he’d really tried to find the right answer to their question. When he spoke his voice was small, likely too quiet to be heard through the din, “... Why are you all laughing…?”

Being the one sitting next to him, Ikkaku heard and caught her breath enough to speak. “It’s just… trying to imagine the captain as a camel is a little funny, yeah?” She trailed off with a little giggle that earned her another glare from Law, then waved her hand at Shachi and Penguin to quiet them down. “Oi, shut it for a second you two,” she ordered when they kept hooting with laughter. “Tell us why a camel, Bepo. You obviously put a lot of thought into it.”

Though his head had wound up tucked as deep between his shoulders as he could get it, at Ikkaku’s words he tensed a little further, unsure he wanted to give his explanation, “Do you think I am wrong?” As he spoke his voice was timid, gaze downcast as he waited for an answer, “... Camels are good animals…”

It was usually about now that Penguin and Shachi would tease Bepo further, but Law leaned forward and shot them a warning look before they could. Though it wasn’t what he was expecting, he was curious. “I don’t know much about camels, Bepo,” he said before anyone else could speak, leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed casually. “Tell me why I’d be one.” 

“Oh, okay, Captain…” with Law’s encouragement Bepo began to come out of his shell, turning his attention back toward his leader. Taking a deep breath in and then exhaling through his nose Bepo waited just a moment more before speaking, to organize all the thoughts in his head. “Well…” holding up his claws, Bepo began ticking off his reasons one by one, “Camels are very durable. They live alone in hard places and are fine. You smell like dry earth, Captain. Under the salt. And Camels are… are…” 

Pausing for a moment, Bepo wiggled in his seat a little bit as though unsure he should say this next bit aloud, but with a bit of mental cajoling he managed to convince himself that everybody already knew it was true, “They’re sometimes rude and, and… standoffish, but only if they don’t like you.” Bepo started to stumble over his words a little at this point, trying to get them all out before he could offend Law, “But when they like you they’re strong and supportive and can take you on long dangerous journeys safely.”

By now, Law was wearing a slight smile of approval. Well, it wasn’t expected but it was certainly nothing he could disagree with. He didn’t even mind being called rude and standoffish; it was true, he was antisocial at best and didn’t bother with manners most of the time. Hearing it from Bepo, who was usually one of the kindest in his crew, just made him chuckle lightly. “Interesting. Don’t they spit, too?” he asked, glancing around the rest of the table. “I guess you’d better all keep that in mind the next time you get in my space,” he warned mockingly.

Law’s approval had brought back a lot of Bepo’s confidence and he was finally engaging more freely again, nodding eagerly as he continued to explain, “Yeah. And your hair is coarse like a camel’s. It would keep you warm if it covered all of you.” Bepo had been very certain he was right in his answer and it made him feel better to see that Law seemed okay with it. 

Brushing a hand over his hair, Law glanced up at what he could see of his bangs. “Hm. I guess you’re right. It probably would,” he agreed with a slight shrug. “Not that I’d need it. It’s warm enough down here.” They made fairly frequent trips back up to the surface when they could; Bepo often complained he was too warm if they stayed underwater for too long. 

“Okay, okay, me next!” Ikkaku interrupted excitedly, leaning in close to Bepo and holding her hands out for his inspection. Even though they’d perhaps teased Bepo more than necessary, Shachi and Penguin were clearly ready for their turn once Ikkaku had been assessed. Seeing everyone in good spirits and no longer in hushed conversation brought a sense of calm to Law. This dose of normalcy was incredibly comforting.

As the time passed, Bepo giving each of his crewmates their due consideration before answering with the same serious disposition he’d given to Law - he determined Ikkaku was best suited to an otter, Penguin to a rabbit, and Shachi to a raccoon. The general attitude of the table soared high and stayed there. Shachi was hesitant to interrupt that but damn if he didn’t want to talk to their Captain about his… extracurricular activities with a certain fellow Supernova. He spent a few minutes going back and forth in his head on whether or not now was the right time to broach that conversation but the mix of everyone’s bright smiles and Law’s easy demeanor (especially so recently on the tail of a bad night) was enough to convince him he didn’t want to ruin the mood. They had quite some time for travel… maybe he’d assess again in a few days. 

The next few days past in a haze; after a night like that, Law forced himself to keep going and only slept when his body all but shut down due to sleep deprivation. It wasn’t healthy but it did guarantee he wouldn’t dream and that was really all Law cared about for the time being. After three days of next to no sleep, he managed to get through a full night and woke feeling as well rested as he ever did. 

Heading to the engine room to make sure things were as they should be, he interrupted Penguin and Shachi playing cards. “Hard at work I see,” he commented as he leaned against the doorframe to watch them with his arms crossed. 

“Or hardly working!” Penguin shot back merrily, grinning as he revealed his hand to Shachi, “Royal flush, pay up sucker!” When the other man accused him in no short order of cheating, Penguin’s hand shot to his chest as though he’d been struck, the offense and hurt in his voice so overblown it was impossible not to recognize he was playing pretend, “Me, cheat? You lout, how dare you?” 

Humming, Law entered what little space remained and pulled over a stool that was pushed against the wall. “Well, if you’re hardly working, I’ll have to give you a real challenge,” he said, gesturing for Shachi to deal him in. He didn’t often join the card games his crew engaged in, preferring to watch, but he was in a good mood. 

Shachi started to glow so bright he was basically a candle. He hadn’t expected this but he was more than happy to have his captain’s attention and companionship. “Yeah, of course!” snatching Penguin’s dirty hand from him, Shachi shuffled the cards and prepared to deal out a new hand. “Five-card draw, Captain. Basic, simple, and apparently,” at this comment he cast a dramatic look at his fellow crew mate, “cheat prone. We were betting on coal duty, but that don’t seem right for you.”

Law shrugged good-naturedly. “If I lose, it’s what I deserve.” He wasn’t planning on losing, but coal duty wasn’t the worst thing in the world on the off-chance he did. With his power, he didn’t even have to get his hands dirty and it wasn’t like he was doing anything better with his nights. “If it’s so cheat prone, why don’t you pick another game?”

Shachi’s gaze flitted over to Penguin’s for a moment, shy and a little embarrassed, “... This is the only one that really makes sense to us…” Sure, they’d tried their hands at plenty of other games but they always lost track of the rules or got distracted by whether or not the jokers should be included in the deck.

Gambling was a small part of how Law had gotten by in the years between Corazon’s death and finding his crew so he was familiar with several types of card games. “Hm. Not to mention it’s easier to cheat at what you know,” he commented with a little grin in Penguin’s direction. “I know a few games that are popular in the West Blue. I’ll teach them to you if you’re interested.”

“We’ve tried before, but Shachi keeps forgetting the rules,” Penguin flashed his compatriot a wicked grin at that, grabbing the deck from his hand and shuffling it just a couple more times before starting to deal out the deck, an ace he discovered in the deck as he was manipulating it winding up inside his sleeve. Once the hand was dealt he looked to Law with a challenge in his eyes, “You start, Captain.”

“Hm.” Law wasn’t sure how much of the issue lay in Shachi’s apparent poor memory or if it was just Penguin’s encouragement so he could keep cheating. “I think the first problem is that you let him shuffle the deck, Shachi. Roll up your sleeves,” he instructed, nodding to Penguin to make it clear who he meant. 

Without a care in the world Penguin did as he was bade, pushing his sleeves as far up his arms as they’d go. There was a reason he wore a jacket most times when they played that caught at his elbows - he could just leave the card higher up, hidden against his bicep. “I mean, I think I’m a little hurt, Captain,” he commented then, playing for pity, “you think I’m dirty just because Shach is a sore loser?”

“I don’t have to think. I know,” Law replied. “Cheating is as good as theft. Most places cut your hands off for stealing.” He grinned then, eyes glinting. “It’s difficult to cheat if you’re missing limbs.” It was meant as a playful warning - playful in Law’s terms often teetered on the edge of creepy and intimidating, but he wasn’t trying to be malicious. At least, not with these two.

With an imploring, dramatically hurt look, Penguin lifted his hands out to his side in a wide, innocent shrug, “I rolled my sleeves up, what more do you want from me?” Though Law actually was a little intimidating even to this day, Penguin had learned by now how to tell when he was joking; it was easier to keep up the charade when he knew he wasn’t actually in danger. 

Deciding to leave it for now, Law took the hand he was dealt. He wasn’t in the mood to cheat with these two, but he usually didn’t have to. He’d learned to count cards and could play with every bit as much skill as he could cheat and it showed. Ace up Penguin’s sleeve or not, in the end Law had the better hand. 

General grumbling ensued as Law cleaned house, but neither of his crew members accused him of anything untoward. Penguin may have dramatically thrown his losing hand down and shot Law a suspicious look but that’s as far as it got. Conversation started then, the usual fare at first - what do you think of the next island, what do you want for dinner, the like. Treading carefully, Penguin waited until it seemed like Law was in a fairly decent mood and Shachi kicked him under the table in encouragement before trying - and mostly failing - to casually change the subject, “So, uh… Eustass Kid, huh?”

It was such an inelegant segue that all Law could do at first was raise both eyebrows in response. “...what does he have to do with anything?” Law asked flatly, wondering if this was going to be a continuation of Bepo’s earlier attempt at a similar conversation a few days ago. He didn’t think he was being overt regarding the other captain; they’d hardly spent much time together and even less of it in the eyes of either of their crews. What was the big deal?

“I mean, just…” suddenly feeling itchy under the collar, Penguin sent Shachi a sharp look as though scolding him for making Penguin be the one who had to bring it up, “Like, nothing. Just you’ve been around him. Or he’s been around you.” Shrugging then he took the deck in hand again, starting to shuffle it for the distraction, “Just… saying.”

Huffing out a sigh of disappointment at his fellow’s utter ineptitude, Shachi jumped in to save the conversation. Well, try to, at any rate, “We were just curious about what you thought of him, Captain, that’s all. He seems like he’s got your interest.”

“We keep running into each other,” Law admitted with a shrug. It was more than that, he wasn’t so much in denial he couldn’t admit it to himself but it wasn’t something he was really willing to discuss with the crew. “I don’t see the big deal.”

“But,” Shachi was timid as he waded into this conversation, trying to ensure he stayed in the shallows and didn’t drown in the deep end, “you let him hang around. You know, after you run into him. We just… notice, is all.” Nobody wanted to call Law a liar, especially not in a situation he was so clearly holding close to his chest, but Eustass was a dangerous player and they all worried for their Captain. 

“And you’re… worried?” He wasn’t incredulous, just looking for clarification. He supposed, given Kid’s bounty anyway, that he could be seen as a threat but there hadn’t been a reason for him to be concerned. They didn’t stand in each other’s way as far as goals went, but the more he thought about it the more he realized that his crew had no reason to know any of this either. 

“Uh,” with a look to Penguin for a nod of verification, Shachi waited until he received his friend’s validation before responding to Law, “Yeah.” It was okay to admit it if Law said it first, right? Sure, he glowered like crazy if they ever said it out loud, but this time he prompted it. So he couldn’t get mad at them. That wouldn’t be fair. 

“Well don’t be. We’re…” What was the right word? They weren’t friends, they weren’t allies, they weren’t even exactly fucking. There was really no concise explanation for whatever relationship they had so Law just shrugged to fill the gap before he added, “...on good terms.” If he wasn’t worried about it, they shouldn’t be either.

“Don’t be?” This time it was Penguin that jumped in, unable or perhaps unwilling to keep the incredulity out of his tone, “Don’t worry about our Captain hanging out with the lunatic Supernova who made his bounty just being a right dick to people? He’s insane and, and…” Though he hadn’t run out of steam Penguin stuttered to a stop for lack of the right words, pulling a face as he re-assessed before trying again, “He’ll slit your throat as soon as look at you, Captain, and not saying you can’t defend yourself but it’s like playing with fire.”

Sitting back in his chair, Law crossed his arms and silently assessed the two across from him. So they really didn’t know any better, did they? “I don’t really think a person who goes out of his way to linger in port so that he can save a bunch of children from a life of slavery is really the sort of bloodthirsty lunatic you’re making him out to be.”

The double takes they both gave him were so perfectly in tandem Law could almost feel the wind they generated from it. Mouths agape they both just stared at Law as though he’d grown another head before they both spoke one over top of the other. “Excuse me, what?” and “Captain, are you high?” so in sync it was hard to determine who said what. 

“Don’t be idiots. You know what I’m talking about. You saw it in the newspapers. None of you could figure out why I was being targeted for killing Akainu’s cousin, remember?” Law paused and waited for his words to sink in, watching the two of them slowly nod before he continued. “Did either of you read the follow up story? About the women who were rescued? I didn’t bring them here, so who did you think they left with?”

“I-I dunno, some merchant vessel or something?”clearly loyal but not the brightest bulb in the box Penguin did his best to answer without sounding like a total dweeb. His mental image of Eustass Kid as some faceless maniacal murder (kinda like how he viewed DonQuixote Doflamingo) did not jive at all with the concept that he was a rescuer of small, abused children, “Anyway, why would he do that?”

Law had a pretty good idea of why, but he respected the other captain enough not to just spill it to his crew. “Dunno. Maybe he plans to eat them all later,” he replied with a careless shrug and an eye roll for good measure; knowing these two if he didn’t give them some other indication he was being sarcastic they’d take him seriously. 

Hot under the collar all the sudden it was Shachi’s turn to challenge his Captain, though his ire was much more directed at the redhead in question than his leader, “Wait, so he pinned a hit on you and you just let him? That’s crap, Captain, he could have gotten you in so much trouble! So that _is_ proof he’s gonna just use you and try to hurt you!”

“Do you think I’m stupid enough to just _let_ myself get pinned for something like that?” Law snorted in annoyance. Had he gotten sloppy lately? Was that why they’d think such a thing? “I told them to leave. I wanted it to fall to me. It sends the right message to the right people.”

Pursing his lips at that Shachi narrowed his eyes at Law but didn’t otherwise verbalize any argument. That seemed too easy a solution and he certainly wouldn’t say Law never lied but he didn’t have firm enough ground to argue the point. In the end he gave up, at least a little, sighing as he unfurled his crossed arms and sunk down into his chair, “... We just want you to be safe, is all…”

It was kind of… cute, the way they worried about him. It got in the way sometimes, which was why he was planning on keeping them far away from Dressrosa when it was finally time to make his way there, but it was nice to have someone who cared whether or not he lived or died. “I know. I’m fine. I wouldn’t risk something that could get in the way of my goal.”

That, they were both certain, was true. Law was of an almost single minded focus when it came to his ultimate goal. Finally Penguin ventured something of an acquiescence, though it was still mumbled, “I guess he looks… like a good shag, or whatever, if that’s what you’re into.” Everyone knew their Captain’s predilections ran toward men, so it wasn’t hard for Penguin to make the jump.

Another snort escaped Law, this time one of amusement. Penguin and Shachi both couldn’t shut up about women, so hearing something like that from him was entertaining. “I wouldn’t know,” Law finally replied, surprised by the bitterness in his tone. Now that he’d gotten a taste, apparently he was that much thirstier. Fucking redhead. “But maybe you could put in a good word for me,” he added with a little wink as he stood up, deciding to leave before this conversation could delve any deeper than it had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We have not one, but two more pieces of art for this chapter from [ Akimao!](http://akimao.tumblr.com/post/182534089781/youre-dead-middle-fingers-in-the-air) If you haven't already, please show her some love for all the beautiful art!


	14. *Tear Me To Pieces

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the record, we fucking love each and every one of you. You're amazing readers and we truly hope you enjoy this chapter. We may have gone slightly crazy, considering it's over 15,000 words, but it feels right. We hope it does for all of you as well. Thank you for all your support throughout this journey so far and we look forward to continuing Kid and Law's journey with you.
> 
> Warning: Minor bloodplay.

Kid could not have been happier to sail into port when they finally did. Killer managed to pester him about Law at least once per day the entire journey, even if half the time it was only in stern looks once he’d de-helmeted for the night and found his captain in his bed again. For his part the redhead kept silently stubborn about all of it, refusing to play into Killer’s hand anymore than he already had. 

The day was bright and warm as they made anchor and Kid stretched his arms high, lacing his fingers together in a full body stretch as he turned his face to the sun for a moment. This was sure to be an interesting little town - he hadn’t heard many rumors about this island in particular, which meant he got to go stir them up himself. As his gaze roved around the harbor, Kid didn’t realize he was looking for the ostentatious yellow of one certain submarine until it was too late and he started cursing himself for it. He was not some starstruck girl.

Law wasn’t far behind; strictly speaking, his sub traveled faster than most ships, but after his poor night of sleep his crew had slowed the engines so it was quieter on board in the hope that would make things easier for him. Still, they hadn’t lost much time in the grand scheme of things, surfacing and pulling up to the dock as Kid’s crew were disembarking. 

Part of him had been looking forward to seeing Kid again yet the other part was still stubbornly holding on to the idea that they should go their separate ways. Any sort of distraction this close to the culmination of 13 years of planning could set everything awry. He hated feeling uncertain. This was why the only people he considered close to friends were on his crew. This was why, when he did seek out someone for sex, it was a stranger. Easier to walk away and fewer things to think about. Kid had to go and make his head clouded and divide his attention, even though rationally he knew he had enough free time to devote to a… whatever this was.

Letting his crew go first, Law couldn’t help but smile as he heard them all clamber into the sunshine for the first time in days. Bepo was especially grateful for the reprieve from the heat below deck. This island was a spring island, too, so the weather was beautiful. Law exited once the rest of them had cleared out to head into port, having already given them leave to enjoy their first day here. 

And yet, of course, look and ye shall see. As though bidden by his thoughts the tin can in question rose through the surface directly in his line of sight and came to bobbing buoyantly next to a dock some fifty yards away. Rotten little… with a sigh, Kid scoffed and shook his head, mostly at himself. Why was he getting angry with Law for doing nothing more than following his damn log pose? He needed to get a handle on what this was. Or a life, one or the other. 

But there was nothing to it, right now. This was going to be a time for some rest and relaxation. Belatedly disembarking after his crew, Kid caught up to Killer and Yara swiftly, quietly alerting his second to the presence of one Trafalgar Law and crew to ensure he knew to keep Yara out of sight from potential prying eyes. That done he hesitated briefly, trying to decide if he should seek Law out or not, before admonishing himself yet again for being so fucking selfish right on the tail of his crisis of conscious on the way here. He was going to spend the day with his family, dammit. 

It was quiet when Law left the ship. His crew was gone and so was Kid’s. He should be grateful for the time alone but he mostly just felt foolish; of course the redhead wasn’t going to seek him out, why should he? It was much easier to deal with the Kid problem as a concept, when they were separated by ocean and distance. Being so close was another matter entirely and brought up the strength of the feelings that were developing entirely without his say so. He didn’t get attached quickly, he knew better; what the hell was wrong with him now?

Shaking his head to physically banish the thoughts, Law tucked Kikoku in the crook of his arm and headed off into the port city. Shrike’s Alley was what he needed to concern himself with and seedy black market businesses were best found by asking the right questions. A bar was the best place to start; a drink would be welcome, anyway. His nerves were still fried.

They’d spent the crest of the afternoon doing whatever Yara wished. At nine her whims were pretty predictable and they thrilled Kid to no end - first, ice cream. Second, a store with makeup and nail polish, at which they invariably made at least one purchase. Third, a place to listen to music. Fourth, a brief rest by the beach where she could frolic in the shallows. Fifth, return to the ship because Yara always wound up tired and ready for the comfort of her home. It was a pattern that Kid enjoyed indulging her in every chance he got. 

While he sent Heat and Wire off to complete step five, Kid continued to move through his usual steps six and seven - booze and rumors, preferably in that order. Whether or not Killer attended with him was a toss up but today the blonde had more pressing matters to attend to - he needed a stylist. His split ends had been getting out of control, to the point that Kid had taken to spending their nights curled in bed together counting how many individual frayed offshoots he could find on the tip of each strand of hair. 

So he walked into the shadiest bar in the shadiest alley he could find, confident and cocky and bright in his pale skin and red hair against the darkness of the establishment he’d chosen. Striding up to the bar without a care in the world, Kid threw himself onto one of the barstools and ordered with a toss of his head toward whatever beer was on tap. He planned on nothing more, at this point in time, than to get pleasantly drunk and listen to what was said around him.

… Trafalgar would probably be a delight to be around when the other man was drunk, wouldn’t he? Either a righteous fucking asshole or a needy lush. Kid found himself somewhat put out he didn’t know what the answer to that question was. And dammit, “Fuck,” here he was again, fantasizing about one of the few people in this world that could probably get him into some actual trouble. 

Though he spent a lot of time in bars, Law spent most of it sober. He nursed a drink or two over the time spent in each one, but never drank enough to really feel it. He needed to have his wits about him to stay focused enough to catch everything that was said within earshot. This particular island was chock full of good shit to listen to, too. He spent nearly three hours in the first bar, just getting an idea of how the place was run. Apparently the whole political structure of the island was one criminal organization or another so there was always some new piece of drama to share. 

Working his way through each bar also gave him a broad spectrum of opinions on each organization with their fingers in the proverbial pie. The first one had patrons that seemed fond of one group in particular and the second favored another. It was entertaining, to say the least, to hear the way each group exaggerated or changed certain parts of commonly told stories. Apparently there had been some sort of gala the week prior that was really just a cover for the leaders to meet in a neutral place for negotiations. That party was the source of the majority of the stories he’d been hearing. Law was almost sad he’d missed it.

The fourth bar was smaller and darker than the rest, more or less just a hole in the wall where the others had been a bit more put together. It would have been impossible to miss Eustass Kid lounging on a bar stool in the corner. As much as Law was trying to drill it into his head that he needed to find a way to separate himself from the redhead, it was like the universe had different plans and kept pushing them together. He didn’t believe in things like fate, but this constant meeting challenged that lack of belief. 

There was no subtle way to back out of the bar and in a place like this that kind of thing would draw unwanted attention anyway. Besides, he rationalized, he hadn’t _meant_ to find Kid and he was still working after all. He couldn’t let the other captain ruin his usual routine. It was only a matter of seconds that he’d paused in the doorway but, mind made up, Law crossed the bar and slid into the seat next to Kid. “I’ll have what he’s having,” he said to the bartender, tilting his head in the other man’s direction.

Though Kid didn’t turn to look at Law, the grin that spread over his face at that could clearly be seen even from the side, “Thirsty little thing, aren’t you?” The innuendo in his voice was laid on so thick that even Bepo would have caught it, had the mink been there - Kid was in no way referencing the drink Law had just ordered. But fuck if the sight of the other captain taking a seat next to him hadn’t brought him a sudden, intense rush of pleasure all on its own. He _needed_ Law to want him, didn’t he? It had gone far beyond a want at this point. 

“Parched, actually,” Law replied flatly as he took his drink then turned his back on Kid to rest his elbow on the bar, gaze taking in all the other patrons filling the space. He wasn’t actually trying to shut the other man out, but he’d never let himself hear the end of it if he didn’t at least play hard to get. All this back and forth between what he wanted and what he should do was exhausting. What he really ought to do was make up his mind about what this was and if it was truly getting in the way; then at least an actual solution could be found. 

“I can tell,” reaching out, Kid trailed a very brazen finger along Law’s spine, from the nape of his neck down as far as he could comfortably reach. It left him with a hand resting across the sharp expanse of Law’s hip, fingers tracing at the bone. Maybe he was thirsty too, in his own way. To take, to make his. Yara said it was okay and maybe…? Maybe she was right? He was pretty sure they needed to set some clear fucking boundaries, but it was worth a shot. 

Law huffed at the touch, not moving into it or pulling away. All his self discipline apparently meant nothing in the redhead’s presence, though, because try as he might to pay attention to what was going on around them his focus was always brought back to the warmth pressed against his hip. It was annoying, really, to be so caught up like this. He wasn’t a teenager anymore, so the hormone excuse didn’t really seem valid. For now, he contented himself with the touch and did his best to keep his eyes and ears open for the actual gossip he’d come to take in.

Kid wasn’t in any sort of rush. This was his downtime, what had been his alone time, so of course this was when Law had managed to find him - when there was nobody around to help him exert some sense of self-control, nobody to mitigate the need with which he craved Law’s presence. So he let the slender man on the stool in front of him work uninterrupted, except for the fact that one of Kid’s broad hands stayed curled around Law’s right hip while the other took up tracing random little curly-q’s along the base of his neck, whisper soft. 

The hand on his hip he could learn to ignore. The touch ghosting along the back of his neck was more difficult. Every now and then Law had to suppress a shiver, and after the third time he turned and glared at Kid over his shoulder. “You need one of those hands to drink, don’t you?” he asked, barely suppressing his annoyance at the interruption.

The grin Kid flashed him then could only be described as shit-eating, “Didn’t know you worried about me like that.” Toying with Law came as easy as breathing and at this point, it was like part of him lived for it, the sheer amount of enjoyment he got from it. But even through the exchange his hands continued to persist, moving along Law’s skin like he was entitled to it.

“I’m not worried, just giving you fair warning that you’ll lose one if you don’t knock it off,” Law warned, leaning forward to escape the insistent fingers tracing the back of his neck. At this rate, he’d have to come back again when he was alone to get any work done here. He was holding out for something, some new bit of news, some confirmation of which group this particular bar was allied with. As long as he got something, he could allow himself to enjoy the companionship of the other captain the way he wanted to.

“It’s okay,” Kid countered, his voice just as lazily confident as his hands, “I know somebody who can put it back for me.” Though he let Law pull away from the sensation of his fingertips ghosting along sensitive skin he kept his grip on Law’s hip solid, the point of contact grounding and electric all at once. His now free hand trailed down, mimicking the placement of his other against Law’s body as he leaned in and whispered, “Somewhere else you’d like me to put my hands, Law?”

Kid suddenly getting handsy would have been much better suited to one of their ships or some other equally private place. The last thing he wanted the people here to know him for was being felt up in public by another man. It wouldn’t do anything for his credibility if he ever needed information from anyone here. Pausing for a moment to make sure his placement was correct, Law whipped his head back against Kid’s face. He felt the other man’s hands slide off his hips, presumably to test his nose for a break. Law smirked to himself, gesturing to the bartender to get the redhead another drink. “I think he’ll be needing that about now,” he commented.

As one of Kid’s hands rose to take stock of the state of his nose the other, which had pulled away primarily out of shock, shifted back to Law’s outside hip and curled around it tighter than before. It was almost punishingly strong, a grip that was clearly meant to be possessive. The taste of blood running over Kid’s lips greeted his tongue as it snaked out to probe at the sensation and all of the sudden he found himself grinning. 

His nose wasn’t broken, just bloody, and he so very clearly had Law’s attention. It was sheer delight, knowing he could get so into Law’s space and mind that he could earn himself such a violent reaction. The grin morphed as he leaned in to rest his chin on Law’s shoulder, turning into a devilishly pleased smirk that matched the inflection in his tone to a T, “If that’s how you wanna play, I can’t wait.” 

Once he finished speaking Kid tilted his head down, moving quick enough that Law didn’t have time to really stop him. It was with a flourish and a deep sense of satisfaction that he wiped his face clean on Law’s shirt, leaving a wide smear of blood across the back of his right shoulder as he slid his free - and bloodstained - hand between the fabric at Law’s lower back and his skin to trace up his spine vertebrae by vertebrae. 

Well, he did give him fair warning. Law didn’t need to use his sword to cut and there was a small knife he kept for more delicate jobs tucked into his jacket. He let Kid get away with it for a few moments, not wanting to draw too much attention to himself by doing too much too soon. Quietly, he let the boundaries of his Room push out from himself, encompassing the entire room so no one inside the bar would notice the soft glow before drawing the knife, flicking it in a quick downward arc. He didn’t remove Kid’s entire hand like he’d threatened, opting for just a finger instead. Tucking the knife away, he held up the severed digit between two of his own fingers for the other man to see. “Behave yourself if you want this back,” he said, smugly.

Though he couldn’t explain how he knew, exactly, or what tipped him off, Kid just had an innate sense of the moment Law activated his power. Perhaps it was his own knowledge of what a paramecia type Devil Fruit power felt like in use, but it was as though the vibe in the room had tilted. It may have been by barely one degree, but all that mattered was his knowledge that things weren’t level anymore.

That was perhaps the only thing that stopped him from completely losing his shit when Law held up what was clearly one of his own detached fingers, still curled as it had been when it was holding on to the other man’s hip. Part of him felt his stomach drop, like this was a declaration of war, and it might have shown on his face for a moment before he was able to mentally force himself back from the edge - it was just a finger, this is how Chop Shop flirts, maybe he had asked for it a little…

“Very funny,” came the response eventually, Kid doing his best to keep his voice even, trying to keep everything in playful sexual territory instead of an actual fight but maybe only succeeding at that slightly, “now you wanna see what my power can do?”

“Why don’t we play another game?” Law suggested immediately, idly rolling Kid’s finger between his own. “Keep your mouth shut for fifteen minutes and let me do what I came here to do, and I’ll give you your finger back.” All of this had been done with Law’s back to the redhead, and now he turned to grin at him over his shoulder. “Then you can show me what your power can do.”

Trying not to let on how unsettled he was with all this, Kid straightened his back and sat upright, drawing himself to his fully height. Careful to keep his gaze on Law instead of the hand that was currently missing one of five important phalanges (Fuck, Yara would kill him if he came back with one less nail to paint.) Kid became determined to ensure that he wouldn’t let Law win. “Fine,” he responded with surprising ease, already planning his next steps, “Mouth shut. Fifteen minutes. Starting now.”

Pocketing Kid’s stolen finger, Law hummed in acknowledgement before he went back to listening. There were more eyes on him than he would have liked, but after a few minutes with no further strange behavior between the two of them at the bar things drifted back to normal. Having done this as often as he had, Law was quick to pick out who the regulars were and focused most of his attention on them in the limited time he’d bought himself. 

Kid was nothing if not a stickler for the finer details, as long as those details worked in his favor. Law said mouth shut, so that’s what he would do. He had said nothing about wandering hands, or the lack thereof, and as far as the redhead was concerned that was blanket permission. So he kept himself busy as he stayed silent, hands moving back to Law’s hips to trace idle circles against the sharp bones there before one of them moved under the hem of Law’s shirt to tease at the dip in his spine. The grin on his face a mile wide, Kid stayed silent and just wait to see if Law had anything he wanted to say about things now.

Law tensed, but only momentarily, before forcing himself to an outer sense of serenity. Resolute in his decision not to give in to Kid’s smug sense of possessiveness, Law settled in to ignore him and give his due attention to the conversation that flowed around them. In the end, Law really wasn’t able to learn much. No one in this bar had mentioned Shrike’s Alley or anything else that could potentially be of use; even if they had, the promise of some sort of resolution to whatever had been culminating between him and Kid had him way too distracted to assess the nuances of conversation like he usually would. 

That and his insistent, wandering hands. Finishing the rest of his drink, Law slid a generous tip to the bartender - it made life easier when they liked him - before pushing off the stool and out of Kid’s grip, heading for the door without another word. He was confident in his own ways. He knew the other captain would follow. 

Damn straight he would. Kid was off his own stool mere moments after Law vacated his seat, a handful of beli he didn’t particularly care about strewn haphazardly over the bar top. Even dead silent he could get under Law’s skin and he drank that knowledge in like a liquor, almost desperate in his eagerness to see what else he could pull from him. This back and forth was intoxicating and he felt heady off the fumes of power and the sensation of being desired. He wanted nothing more than for Law to want him. 

For some reason, the idea that they could find some place neutral like a room at an inn didn’t occur to Law. He had never brought someone back to his sub before; it felt too intimate, too much like permission to step into his personal life. But that was the only place he had in mind now, the only place he wanted to be. Later, he would assess this moment and wonder for the millionth time why he felt so comfortable with Kid, but in the moment he walked with purpose back to the docks, enjoying the echoing footsteps behind him.

Law paused well away from the gangplank that would lead to the deck of his ship, letting his power push out the rest of the way to encompass both of them as well as the Polar Tang. Finally, he turned around to face Kid, then tossed his detached finger at him. It was really just for show since he could have just willed it back where it belonged, but Law was curious if catching his own dismembered body part would unsettle the redhead at all. 

For the record, yeah, fetching his own unattached finger from midair didn’t really row Kid’s boat. It was with a grimace on his face that he snatched it before some rodent-brained bird could mistake it for food, but by the grace of some god, somewhere, he only had to feel it lying freakishly in the palm of his other hand for a moment before it was suddenly back where it belonged, firmly attached at the end of his knuckle. 

“You ever cost me an actual body part and you’re gonna regret it,” doing his best to make it a threat and not a whine, Kid shook himself out of his discomfort and approached Law with a smile that was more teeth than anything, hand outstretched to wrap halfway around the slender throat just begging to be touched, “But right now, I’m gonna show you just how good I can make your body feel.”

Unafraid, Law leaned forward into the grip on his throat, his lips turning up into a smirk. Without asking for permission or even pausing he shifted both of their positions into his cabin, thus bypassing his nosy crew members who might otherwise interrupt what was starting to be a promising evening. “It’s about damn time. You’ve been nothing but a pain in my ass until now.”

Suddenly finding himself in the bowels of a submarine was rather jarring, especially considering that just seconds previously he’d been surrounded by open air and the sea breeze, but Kid adjusted quickly enough. He was enamored by the sight in front of him, Law’s sheer willingness to walk on the edge and play into his potentially dangerous games capturing his focus more than any momentary vertigo possibly could. “Not in the way you’ve wanted,” he countered with a laugh that filled the small space, echoing against the metal, “but if you’re good I’ll change that tonight.”

“Good?” Law challenged, pushing himself up to his full height and leaning into Kid’s grip to the point where his voice was breathy and he had to force the words out. “You want me to be good?” He couldn’t remember the last time he’d wanted something - someone - so badly. They complimented each other so well in their encounters up until now and all signs pointed to that continuing. 

“Well,” Kid conceded then with a lilt in his voice and a chuckle in his tone, tilting his head to the side slightly and watching Law through narrowed eyes as he spoke, “the only version of good I figure you’re capable of.” And by that he meant he wanted Law at his absolute basest instinct, demanding and pushy and desperate and willing to do anything Kid demanded to get what he wanted. Curling his fingers tighter around Law’s throat, Kid pressed in until he heard Law’s wheezing breaths turn into airless gasps before speaking again, “You gonna do that for me? You don’t need words to answer.”

The normal surge of adrenaline flushed through Law’s body as his air supply was restricted but he didn’t struggle. His eyes darkened as he looked up at Kid and that was really the only answer the other man needed. He didn’t bother nodding or moving otherwise, just letting himself go still as he studied the redhead’s face. It wasn’t in his nature to just give him what he wanted so easily.

Yet it was the look in Law’s eyes, that raw and animalistic desire that showed through everything, that spoke louder than anything else Law could have said or done. It was fucking heady, to have someone so powerful looking at him like that - Kid felt like he was on cloud nine already. He met Law’s hungry gaze with a steady one of his own, considering the man in his hands for a moment before deciding on his next steps. When he spoke it was cut with an undercurrent of steel, “I’m not letting go until you make me.”

With a grin, Law slowly shook his head, shifting in Kid’s grip just enough to speak. “I don’t want you to let go.” It came out as more of a rasp, voice husky from more than just the hand around his throat. He was curious to see where Kid would take this; he’d done more than his fair share of pursuit. Part of him wanted to see how much the redhead wanted him, though the look on his face spoke volumes. 

“Gods, you’re so fucked up,” but the way Kid said it was like an entreaty to said deity, reverent and a little awestruck. Tightening his grip on Law’s throat Kid used it as a lever, speaking as he began to walk the other man backwards, “I didn’t tell you to speak.” Moving them with sharp, demanding movements, Kid handled Law with ease though every muscle in his body was tense - with desire, alert to the potential Law could try to bolt, with an innate dominance he felt in every fiber of his being. 

The sound of Law’s back slamming into metal bulkhead was sharp, echoing through the small space. In a matter of seconds Kid had his body pressed solid to Law’s front and, for the first time, captured the other man’s mouth in a searing kiss, more teeth and tongue than anything that could be called finesse. He kissed like it was a requirement to survive, hand still tight around Law’s throat, legs forcing their way in between Law’s thighs, wholly consuming the other man. What Kid wanted from it was to feel Law gasping for air through every inch of his body, not just his hand. 

A wheezy chuckle was Law’s initial reply, and he considered mouthing off but there was little he could think to say in the moment. He allowed himself to be moved; the sharp sensation of hard metal rattling against his spine was the perfect counterpoint to Kid’s grip on him, though it was equally as unyielding as the other man’s hand. When Kid leaned in and pressed their bodies together, Law felt entirely engulfed by his bulk and for now his usual aversion to being immobile was far out of reach. 

The kiss was… not unexpected, and not entirely unwelcome, but rode the line of too intimate. Especially since they were in Law’s cabin. Kissing was not a thing he ever really engaged in. It felt too personal, too much like an invitation to affection that he was so strongly averse to. Out of habit, Law bit Kid’s lip and tugged. It wasn’t enough to break skin, but enough to hopefully get the message through. It would ruin the moment if he had to explain why this wasn’t really his thing, and Law would rather avoid that. He’d waited long enough for this.

Everything about the way Law was reacting was the stuff Kid’s dreams had been made of. The way that he managed to give in so easily it was effortless, yet somehow still retained the sharp edge that made him who he was… Law was a masterpiece in his own right. Even the aggression the other man introduced to their kiss, the sting of teeth against his lips, did nothing but spur him on further, drive Kid deeper into his want. 

Smirking wide, Kid let Law’s teeth pull at his lip for a moment, the pain a wonderful grounding point in a scenario that was otherwise starting to feel very otherworldly. Yet the moment Law let go Kid reasoned that turnabout is fair play, after all, and set to it with a will. Immediately dropping his hand from Law’s throat, Kid pressed both his broad palms into the other man’s hip bones, shoving him back against the wall so hard he couldn’t even wiggle his ass. In tandem he pulled back and ducked his head, burying his face in the crook of Law’s neck and biting down - a mimicry of what Law had just done to him, but much harder this time. He smirked to himself as he felt the first few drops of blood ooze over his lips. 

The bite had its intended effect and Law kept his head turned slightly away in case Kid decided to try again. He seemed to get the idea, though, because he moved on to much more interesting things rather quickly. The pressure against his hips was such that Law was certain he could lift his legs and Kid would keep him pinned there. It was dizzying, just how much the redhead was hitting every one of his preferences so effortlessly.

Either Kid took his head tilted to the side as an invitation or he would have done it anyway, but the sharp, throbbing pain against the column of his throat was so welcome. Law let himself sag in Kid’s hold, testing his theory somewhat and was pleased to see he didn’t move in spite of the shift in his weight. Far from passive, Law mimicked the sharp pin pricks of pain by digging his nails into Kid’s biceps, not at all shy about taking the opportunity to feel the press of bulging muscle against his fingertips first. 

Law deciding to wrap himself around Kid and cling like there was no place else in the world he’d rather be was the cherry on top of this whole thing. Kid couldn’t remember the last time he’d even felt close to this desired, this fucking wanted, and damn if it didn’t make him want to give Law everything the slender sylph of a man wanted. 

The sting of Law’s nails didn’t even register - Kid was much more occupied in soothing the wound he’d just created with his tongue for a few moments before progressing on to the next idea that tickled his fancy. Sliding one of his hands down Kid cupped Law’s ass, palming the supple flesh for a moment before pulling away from the wall and holding Law up effortlessly. These moments made him feel powerful, made him feel strong, and he loved every second. 

Although he wasn’t at all afraid of falling, Law looped his legs around Kid’s waist to keep himself balanced. When it came down to it, a big part of his attraction to Kid was his obvious strength. At the end of the day, Law could be untouchable if he wanted to be so having someone who could so clearly overpower him was a thrill. It wasn’t as fun when the scale was tipped so far in his favor. Determined to leave his own mark on Kid, Law raked his nails down the redhead’s arms, smirking at the raised red welts left in their wake.

“That all you got?” as he posited the question, Kid turned his gaze to meet Law’s and although the fire in his eyes was scorching hot, the mischievous little shit eating grin on his face was exactly the same as the one Law had seen Kid flash in his direction innumerable times before. Already able to feel Law’s erection pressed tight against him, straining through the fabric of Law’s pants, Kid felt himself driven closer and closer to indulging Law’s desires just to see the man come undone at his hands. 

“You’re pale,” Law remarked, following his words with a shrug. “I don’t have to do much to mark you.” He grinned then, clearly meaning the words as a jab. His own dark complexion meant anyone trying to leave marks on him had to work that much harder - not that he would ever complain about that. 

At that Kid laughed, clearly amused that Law thought he would care, “That’s fine. Seein’ the marks and that they didn’t do shit to me just helps prove what I can handle.” In an instant he spun them around and made his way across the cabin in two broad strides, kneeling on the bed before pressing both their bodies back into the covers, “Besides, we both know I’m not the one that wants t’be marked up.”

“I don’t particularly care. I like leaving my own marks,” Law replied. Kid had a point - part of the draw to pain was seeing what he could handle. For being so independent, Law was enjoying being manhandled like this. Finally, _finally,_ Kid was showing some initiative in taking what he wanted. It was a rush and almost felt like too much all at once after the weeks of dancing around each other. 

“Heh,” was the only verbal response Law got. Kid could care less if Law welted, gouged, or otherwise damaged him a little throughout this process. Again, it was just more proof of the effect he had on the other man. With Law’s back flat on the bed like this it became so much easier to grind into him, to slot their hips together and give Law the beginnings of friction he was so desperate for. Fuck, but he was beautiful to watch like this, spread out under him and eager. 

Thought it wasn’t really necessary anymore, Law kept his legs wound tight against Kid’s middle. He used them for leverage, pulling his hips up against the other man’s as they pressed him into the bed. In this, Law was not shy nor did he feel the need to hold back, especially not after waiting as long as he had. Let Kid feel how hard he was already, how much he was enjoying this - it could only spur him on further, give him more of what he wanted.

From there on out, the next few steps seemed to happen in rapid succession. The thought suddenly struck Kid that he couldn’t fucking stand the fact that Law was still clothed and his rather distracted brain decided that needed to be fixed right now. Tempted as he might have been to rip them off the other man bodily, a small part of his brain retained enough sense to tell him he would probably get yelled at for that.

So he went with the only other method that seemed feasible - aggressive, immediate action. Pulling back just enough to get his hands to the hem of Law’s shirt, Kid wrestled it over his head without preamble, determined to expose smooth skin and sharp angles to wandering hands and eyes. Law’s pants would be harder, as they were still basically entwined from the waist down, but hopefully Law would take the hint. 

Moving with Kid, Law let the other man peel off his shirt, not particularly caring about the heap it landed in on the other side of the room. He wasn’t so desperate he didn’t want to continue teasing though, so he squeezed his legs around Kid’s waist tighter and watched the other man through sharp eyes. Layers of clothing between them or not, he wasn’t quite ready to give up the feeling of Kid’s weight pressed between his thighs.

“Testy little brat,” Kid’s comment came quick but the thread of warm affection running through the words was evident to both of them. For the briefest moment it brought Kid to a standstill, eyes widening slightly as the sound of his own voice sank in, but before he could get too much in his head he shook it sharply, as though he could dislodge all rational thought with that one motion. 

Choosing to let Law be selfish for just a moment or two longer, the redhead reached out and dug his nails in, digging furrows from Law’s clavicles to the inner crest of his hips, taking care to ensure both hands ran directly over the other man’s nipples - he was curious as to how he’d react to the long, slow drag of it.

Law let his eyes flutter closed, breathing out slowly through his nose. The sharp feeling of nails raking over his skin woke up the parts of him that still felt like they were asleep, leaving his nerves tingling in a way that quickly spread through his midsection and coiled in his gut. He felt alive like this; pain was a spark, a signal to his brain that he could still feel something after so much numbness. Without even realizing it, his back had arched in encouragement, eyes still closed as he drank in each new sensation.

Breathing out words that wound up more of a reverent whisper than anything actually meant for Law to respond to, Kid watched Law with attention so rapt it bordered on obsessive, “That’s it. All for me…” Flicking his wrists outward Kid continued in his ministrations, tracing along the solid ridge of bone that helped to delineate Law’s pelvis. He could look at - and touch - Law for an entire day, stroke and pinch and dig in any myriad of ways, all just to experience how the smaller man would respond. 

There was another thing to be surprised about when it came to Kid; Law expected him to be just as eager and impatient as he was with everything else he’d experienced with him. And yet here he was, taking his time to just… touch. There had been a few men who’d done the same but Law usually didn’t bother with people who took too long. He had more important things to do, after all. Kid was the first person he’d pursued over a period of time, though, and at this point any sort of attention was worth waiting for.

Taking his time, Kid dug consistent furrows into Law’s skin in neat little rows - not deep enough to draw blood, but hard enough to leave welts. The pattern he drew was rigid and methodical, the square lines of a blueprint against the chaotic, organic whorls of ink decorating the man’s chest. He was enthralled, lost in his work, studying the rise and fall of Law’s chest, the impatient way his thighs would clench tighter around Kid from time to time, the beautiful, delicate arch of his throat as he tilted his head backwards… Fuck if Kid didn’t wish he could draw this sight out, keep in in the same drawer as his schematics and mechanical diagrams, take it out and study it late at night and just imagine what it took to construct a being like this. 

Something about the repetitive nature of Kid’s hands was… almost soothing. Normally Law would get bored, but this he enjoyed. Maybe there was something to be said about enjoying the company of a sexual partner rather than just fucking someone who was easy. There were so many things he had yet to explore, being so singularly focused as he was… After a few minutes, Law pushed himself up onto his elbows and just watched Kid work, eyes still darkened from lust.

When Kid finally decided he that he was finished, Law’s entire torso was covered in those perfectly parallel welts, crosshatched against ones slanted in the other direction. It made perfect little diamonds of the unmarred parts of his skin, an end result that Kid took distinct pleasure in. Law was his, clearly marked as such, having held himself open and willing to the treatment Kid had chosen to inflict upon him. With some effort he finally tore his gaze away from his work, looking up at Law with his owns eyes blown wide in desire, “Take off your pants.”

At that, Law grinned and slid his arms out from under him, flopping back against the mattress. “Make me,” he challenged, squeezing his thighs around Kid’s waist tighter while knowing full well it wasn’t enough to keep the other man from forcefully escaping from his grasp. Everything was a challenge, but the fact that Kid continually rose to meet them was what kept Law interested in the first place. 

Something in Kid had changed during the silence, during the almost meditative time he’d spent marking Law. He wasn’t in a playful mood anymore, far from it. His headspace demanded obedience and if he wasn’t going to get it willingly, he was going to ensure that Law understood the cost of his disagreement. It happened so fast Kid’s movements were almost difficult to track, but in a matter of seconds he’d pressed his palm into Law’s cock hard enough to hurt, used his free hand to wrench one of the other man’s legs out from behind him, then switched both hands to his hips and flipped him onto his belly as easy as he would have an egg in a frying pan. 

“Fine then,” he commented as he swung himself across the backs of Law’s thighs, pinning him down to the bed with his bulk, “don’t.” Without further preamble he spread himself out across the span of Law’s body, wrapping one arm across the slender curve of his throat and the other under his waist and down across his hips, to cup Law’s cock through the fabric of his pants.

“Let me know if you change your mind,” voice low, threaded with a dangerous edge, Kid started rolling his hips into Law’s ass at the same time he began squeezing and rubbing the erection pressed so insistently into his hand. If Law didn’t want to take his pants off then Kid would damn well see him make a mess of them instead. 

Law was grateful for the arm around his neck squeezing off his air supply; it helped drown out the groan that bubbled up from his throat. They’d just been playing until now and Kid was clearly getting serious. He hadn’t been sure what that might look like on the redhead and he continued to be pleasantly surprised. Usually, Law resisted being given orders but in a case like this his pride was easily suppressed. Ultimately, the demand made in line with what he wanted anyway. Shifting in the hold Kid had on him he nodded, arms moving until he could hook his thumbs in the waistband of his pants. Speaking was a difficulty right now, but this should be enough to indicate his willingness to cooperate.

The hum of satisfaction that drew from Kid rumbled out directly in Law’s ear. But he wasn’t going to make it that easy, “Oh, now you wanna be good…” Clicking his tongue the redhead admonished Law yet again before leaning further down to bite at the soft shell of said ear, “No, Law, I’m not that easy. You gotta earn it now.” As he spoke Kid’s hand kept moving, drawing Law ever closer to the finish.

Kid was definitely ticking a lot of boxes for him, but Law was nowhere near close to satisfied. He’d waited weeks for this and now that they were both here he wasn’t ready to give it up. Huffing out impatiently, he twisted as much as he could in an attempt to dig his elbow in to Kid’s side. _Damn him…_ Law thought to himself, annoyed at how desperate he was already.

At feeling one of Law’s elbows make unpleasant contact with his ribs, Kid retaliated with a vicious bite before pulling back, sitting upright again to snatch both of Law’s wrists tight in his hands, squeezing hard enough to bruise as he wrenched Law’s arms up and behind his back, “That’s not how you earn anything.”

Law huffed unapologetically, taking in a few deep breaths now that he was able, to keep panic from setting in. There had been enough of a lull that his aversion to being unable to move freely was closing in. “You haven’t earned hearing me beg, either,” he replied, breathing evenly and rocking his hips back against Kid’s groin to keep himself distracted. 

“Didn’t say you had to beg,” came Kid’s rejoinder. Shifting his weight, the younger man settled back until he was sitting on the backs of Law’s knees, still holding Law’s wrists tight and pulled down by his hips. Knowing this left Law no way to rut against anything but the bed, Kid settled in and watched for a reaction. 

Without Kid’s weight on him, Law didn’t need the distraction so much. “You’re the one who asked me to take off my pants. I decided you earned that. You don’t get to turn it back on me now,” he complained, letting his body go still in Kid’s grip once more. There was a hint of impatience in his tone, though, letting the redhead know he was only complaining because of how badly he wanted to continue.

“It wasn’t a question, Law,” freeing the man’s right wrist, Kid used his now unoccupied palm to great effect by starting to lay hard, sharp hits against the supple flesh of Law’s ass. He was a little disappointed he couldn’t see the skin darken under his ministrations and knew the sting would be sharper without the fabric in his way, but maybe that was part of Law’s punishment too - he clearly had a thing for the pain.

“Entitled.” It was a moot point, really, since Law was so clearly into this. “That might be more effective without two layers of fabric in the way,” he commented, trying to make himself sound as enticing as he could manage, back arching each time Kid brought his palm down against his ass. 

“Yeah, shame, that,” as he scolded Law the blows started coming harder but slower, Kid really leaving time for the ache of each individual one to settle in before he layered another on top - that and his hand was already stinging like a son of a bitch anyway. Even this, just watching the exposed lines of Law’s back shift in reaction to the way Kid touched him was enough to keep his attention rapt.

Law was starting to get frustrated. Apparently, Kid didn’t want him to beg. Usually that was the trigger for most people who liked to be in control, but he wasn’t giving any other sort of direction either and Law didn’t have the freedom of movement to do anything else he could think of that might have worked. Eventually, when no other response was prompted, he let himself relax and closed his eyes. Maybe if they had done this before, if he knew the sort of things Kid liked, this wouldn’t be so frustrating.

Kid was able to watch the incremental change sweep over Law, see some of the tension leave the lines of his back, watch him sink into the bed and his spanking all together. Even that spoke volumes to Kid, showed that he was pushing Law closer to the same head space he was in himself - the point where things were serious and this, between them, was going to end the way that Law had been itching for it to. 

Only once Law had gone completely pliant and unresistant in his hold did Kid decide to stop, pulling back enough to allow Law movement if he decided to cooperate this time, “Now, Law.” Kid wasn’t entirely sure where he was going to take things if Law disobeyed again but he secretly hoped he wouldn’t have to figure it out; he wanted to see Law’s reaction to finally being filled and fucked more than he’d wanted anything in a long time. 

“Fucking finally,” Law breathed out the words, the syllables an airy jumble not really meant to be understood by the other man. He shifted so he could reach the front of his pants to undo them, aware of Kid’s eyes still on him, moving so his back was arched and his ass was what kept the redhead’s attention. Law didn’t bother with it often, but he knew how to show off. Once they’d been unbuttoned, Law slid the fabric over his hips and down his thighs until he had to shift his position to get them off the rest of the way. 

Curious, he glanced over his shoulder to catch a glimpse of Kid’s face and his expression didn’t disappoint. The redhead looked like a starving man who had just been offered a meal. That alone made it worth the wait. Feeling more confident now, Law rolled onto his back to tug his pants over his knees until he could kick them off onto the floor. 

The moment Law’s pants were out of the way Kid basically pounced on him, pressing eagerly between his legs as he bit his bottom lip and hissed out his pleasure between clenched teeth. Every time the dynamic between them shifted ever closer to his ideal Kid sunk further into his desire, the need to see Law come undone at his hands overwhelming.

Kid loved the dichotomy of Law naked and exposed under him while he himself still wore everything he’d had on outside the ship. Though, to be fair, the heat was starting to get to him through this coat so he gave in and shrugged that one item off, letting it fall to the floor by his feet. Reaching out one more time he grabbed Law’s hands and placed them at the sash around his waist, “Show me what you want.”

Law didn’t need much guidance now, greedy hands already moving to Kid’s waist before he could even reach for him. “That I can do,” he agreed, easily pulling the knot from the fabric and discarding it. It was clearly more decorative than functional, but with it gone it exposed more of the other man’s abdomen. Law ghosted his fingertips over the planes of his taut stomach, just enjoying the sensation of pure power that emanated from him.

While it would take a little pressure from the right people to get him to admit it, Kid was somewhat vain in his own way. He wanted to be seen as strong, someone too dangerous to fuck with, and maintaining his body was an important piece of that message. The way Law was touching him, the hungry haze in his eyes as he looked Kid over hit the redhead in a lot of the right spots and he held still for now, letting Law explore. 

When Kid didn’t stop him Law leaned in closer and replaced his fingers with his tongue, tasting the sweat on his skin and feeling the way his muscles tensed and contracted against the touch. He made a path to Kid’s side, then let his teeth graze over his skin, biting and sucking marks into him as he made his way back the way he came.

Once he’d determined what Law was actually up to Kid sank into the touch, lifting one hand to tangle his fingers it in the messy mop of dark hair hovering around his chest. The touch was electric, the sensation of Law’s teeth and lips on his body heightening the experience further. His eyes sank to slits but he didn’t fully close them, not wanting to miss what Law was doing with any one of his senses. 

Since he was already here Law decided to test whether or not he could finish what he’d started with his mouth. Finding the button on Kid’s pants, Law dug his teeth into the fabric and worked it over the metal disc keeping them in place. It took some effort, but with the right combination of teeth and tongue he was able to successfully work the top button open. The zipper was much easier but he didn’t go for it right away, mouth working over the hardening flesh just beneath it.

Though he was initially a touch amused - as well as impressed - with the dexterity of Law’s mouth, when it was pressed up against the bulge in his pants he couldn’t help the soft groan that escaped. He couldn’t remember the last time someone had so thoroughly captured his attention like this and the connection between them felt so alive and raw it was like molten metal. He continued to let Law do as he pleased, at least for now, clenching his fist in those messy locks to indicate how pleased he was with Law’s ministrations. 

From what he could tell from this vantage point, Kid wouldn’t disappoint. Humming slightly, pleased with what he’d discovered, Law moved back to his previous task and clenched his teeth around the hanging metal attached to the zipper, slowly pulling it down. As he did Law’s hands made their way to Kid’s hips and let his palms push against the fabric to expose more of the redhead.

While Kid was happy to let Law get what he was after, there were a few details he was particular about. Reaching down he grabbed at Law’s wrists again but this time it was gentle, capturing them both and lifting them up, nipping and biting down the tender expanse of skin from the inside of his wrist to his elbow before he spoke, “No, y’don’t get t’take them off, just get my cock out.”

“Got something to hide?” Law asked with a lazy grin even as his hands escaped from Kid’s grip to do as he was told. Pushing past the garish fabric of Kid’s pants, Law let his fingers close around his cock which ended up not quite being possible in spite of his long fingers. An involuntary shudder rolled down his spine in anticipation of how fucking full he would feel once they got around to it. 

Not at all - he just enjoyed the power dynamic. Not that he was going to tell Law that. Choosing not to answer Kid just held himself upright and solid as Law worked, confident in his body and his position in this interaction between the two of them. He had wondered what Law would look like once Kid finally gave him what he so clearly needed and by this time, he was more than eager to see it. “You want me to fuck you, Law?” the question wasn’t a tease, wasn’t snide, wasn’t anything but Kid wanting to hear Law say what he’d so clearly been telegraphing this whole encounter. 

Glancing back up sharply, Law considered his response for a moment. His instinct was to respond with sarcasm but there was something about Kid’s tone that made him pause. Usually he would expect some sort of haughty entitlement to accompany such a question, but the other man just sounded… eager. Deciding to abandon his usual demeanor, Law replied with a nod and met Kid’s gaze as he spoke. “Yes.”

“Fuck,” it was more of a groan than an actual word, but it summed up Kid’s feelings on the matter pretty succinctly. In an instant he had Law flat on his back, unable to resist pressing another hot, eager and messy kiss to his lips for a long moment before pulling back only far enough to cast his gaze around to find the most likely place for the other man to keep lube. 

Eyes landing on the nightstand, Kid shoved himself back with a disgruntled huff to fish around in the drawer for a moment before finding exactly what he was after. Satisfied that at least Law could keep something in a sensible place, Kid returned his full attention to the man under him, all sharp angles, tanned skin, and hooded eyes. Fuck if the thought of feeling him roil in pleasure because of how Kid touched him wasn’t intoxicating.

Unscrewing the top, Kid poured a healthy amount of the sticky, clear liquid into his palm before slicking his shaft with a slight hiss at the cold gel. His free hand found Law’s hip again, eyes fluttering closed for a moment in anticipation before - suddenly - a realization hit him, “Fuck!” This time when he said it Kid was clearly annoyed, thought it was more at himself than anything. He couldn’t just shove his cock in without a little preparation first - he was all for hurting Law in the ways he liked, but he didn’t much like the idea of shoving in a space not really ready to fit him yet. 

Taking a few deep breaths, Kid got himself under control and settled back on his heels, using his clean hand to press one of Law’s legs up and out of the way as the other moved between his legs, running two slick fingers over his eager hole. It was only a momentary tease before the redhead sunk the first one in knuckle deep, pleased at how very little resistance Law’s body gave. 

What began as the two of them taking their time to tease each other and explore each new bit of exposed skin quickly turned into something more and the rush nearly made Law’s head spin. In spite of how he was being manhandled, Law absolutely felt powerful like this too. Kid so clearly desired him, so clearly wanted this, and that was more than satisfying. 

Batting at Kid’s hand between his legs, Law shoved himself backward to try and break the contact. “Don’t bother,” he groaned, so close to what he wanted he wasn’t really a big fan of being made to wait much longer. The brief feeling of Kid’s sweat-slicked body moving over top of him was pushing him to a natural high and he sought out that feeling like an addict would, fingers closing around as much of the other man’s bicep as he could manage to try and pull him back in close.

“Shut up and let me work,” but the command lost some impact in the delivery, Kid’s words starting to slur with his attention quite obviously focused elsewhere. He was happy to make Law bleed in a lot of places but this wasn’t one of them and he needed to at least feel like he’d done the bare minimum not to actually damage the man. But the ease with which his second and then, in rather quick succession, third fingers slid in reassured him that this wouldn’t take long. 

To occupy Law and keep his wandering hands from trying to interrupt again Kid arched himself downward as he worked, taking the head of Law’s leaking cock into the warmth of his mouth. He sucked softly, absolutely not wanting Law to come like this, enjoying yet another obvious indication of how badly he was wanted. Once he had three thick fingers inside Law he curled them and experimented with pace and angle, curious to find the places that made Law arch and cry out.

Kid’s hands were just as wide as the rest of him and three fingers felt like the equivalent to most men he’d been with. Knowing that this wasn’t even everything he had to give just made him want that much more. The distraction worked as Kid had intended, his body feeling somehow overstimulated in spite of the fact that he’d hardly been stimulated at all. The weeks of anticipation leading up to this was definitely making it all seem that much more intense even though Kid hadn’t exactly done anything groundbreaking. 

Feeling the other man’s mouth hot around the head of his cock made Law hum in approval, fingers threading through red hair as he held on and told himself to breathe and commit this to memory. This sensation of being so wanted by someone he actually gave a shit about - that was something he’d have to examine later.

Law responded like a song, exactly in time and tune with what Kid wanted. The room around them was sweltering and he couldn’t decide if that was because they were in a metal roasting pan that just so happened to float or had more to do with what the two of them were currently getting up to. Regardless, Kid could have been drenched in sweat and he wouldn’t have stopped for the world. 

Once he was satisfied that Law was open enough for him he pulled back, wiping his fingers dry on Law’s covers before pressing himself back over the smaller man’s body. Fitted together at the hips, Kid pressed himself up off the bed with one forearm so he could be relatively face to face with Law, locking eyes with him as he fisted his cock in his other hand, guiding it between Law’s legs eager and only slightly sloppy. 

Quiet for a moment as he teasingly rubbed the head of his cock over Law’s desperate hole, Kid kept their eyes locked and only spoke as he finally, slowly pushed in and breached the ring of muscle so eager to take him, “I wanna fuck you too…”

In spite of his insistence that he was usually quiet, Law heard himself laugh, somewhat breathless even though they’d only just started. “Good thing you told me, or I might have never known,” he managed. Kid was so much bigger than him that his bulk forced Law’s legs so wide apart he knew he’d be sore in places he wasn’t used to. In spite of that, Law curled them both around the other man’s waist and eagerly pulled him in closer.

“Little shit…” but it was said with a breathy laugh and was the last thing - barring soft groans and little hiccuping breaths - that Law would hear from Kid for a few minutes. He sank into the willing body beneath him in one fluid motion, pressing his face down into the crook of Law’s shoulder as he gasped through the flood of sensation. The hand that wasn’t holding him off the bed scrabbled for some spot of connection, seeking contact and finding it at Law’s chest, pinching and twisting at one of his nipples as he waited for the overwhelming crash of sensation to settle somewhat.

Law was right about not being disappointed. Kid came close to being too big for him to manage, though that wasn’t something he’d share. No reason to give him an inflated ego about it. He could feel his own stomach twitching, muscles contracting with each movement. Though Law was far from loud, low breathy gasps and groans escaped from his throat with more frequency than he was used to.

Once he managed to relax around the significant intrusion that was Kid’s cock, Law started moving back. Using the grip his legs had around the redhead’s waist for leverage, Law pulled himself up to meet his thrusts. Unabashed, one hand snaked between their bodies to curl around his own length, stroking himself in time with Kid’s thrusts.

The way he could feel all of Law’s body straining for him, the need he sensed in how Law tried to take every single inch he could get, it was almost overwhelming. Kid had never wanted to be the reason someone went tumbling over the edge so badly in his life and like hell he was going to let Law have any part in his own orgasm. Batting his hand away sharply, Kid replaced the digits around Law’s cock with his own, fisting him just shy of too tight. 

It was then, and only then, that he truly began to thrust in earnest, fucking into Law and jerking him off at the same time, his movement surprisingly in sync for how flushed and heady he was feeling. The entire time his gaze stayed on Law’s face. He wanted - needed - to see it, the moment he gave the other man everything he needed, the exact moment he took care of Law in the way he’d been desperate for, the moment that proved Law had wanted him more than anything, or anyone, else. 

Law wasn’t unused to being wanted, at least in a physical sense. This connection with Kid went deeper, though. The other man was clearly getting more than just a release from this and Law had to admit to feeling the same. This wasn’t just scratching an itch, but being in the middle of some of the best sex of his life wasn’t the best time to think too hard about anything other than his impending, likely mind blowing, orgasm. 

Instead, he focused on the way that Kid somehow knew how to move in just the right ways. They had some unspoken connection, each of them managing to move in tandem in a way that had Law’s legs shaking with need after a short amount of time. Since his hand had been freed up, he switched tactics and tucked his palm under the curve of his ass, fingers probing against the outside of his hole where he could feel Kid’s length as it pressed hot and hard inside him deeper.

As focused as he was on pounding Law until the doctor had the best fucking orgasm of his life, it took Kid a few moments to realize there was a new sensation brushing against his own cock. Once his mind finally managed to piece together what was happening it sent a shudder through him so hard it echoed all the way down to the tips of his toes. How the fuck was Law so effortlessly erotic? Kid had never met someone so comfortable with their own desires and it just spurred him on further, made him want to reward Law for being so open. 

“Fuck,” the word came again, about the only one that Kid felt capable of making right now, moving on instinct. He could tell by how tight Law was wound that the other man was close and at this moment he needed Law to come, wanted to experience that with him. Turning his head he captured Law’s lips with his own again, the kiss aggressive in the same way that his thrusts and the movement of his hand was - all designed to be exactly what Law seemed to need, to make him find the edge and tip over into blissful oblivion. 

Right now, Law didn’t have it in him to pull away. He responded somewhat clumsily, shifting his head to try and fit their mouths together better but all he managed to accomplish was a clashing of teeth. Huffing in annoyance at himself he tried again, very aware that his lack of experience in this particular field was showing. He didn’t want Kid to comment on it, so he shifted the angle of his fingers and curled them around the base of the other man’s cock, giving what wouldn’t fit some extra stimulation. 

Kissing felt affectionate, but somehow Law wasn’t against it right now. It felt genuine rather than just another avenue to try and control him. That and he was desperate for as many points of contact as he could get right now, body tense as the movement of the larger body on top of him spurred him closer and closer. Law’s free hand clawed in desperation at Kid’s shoulder, clenching and relaxing repeatedly.

One thing Kid had in spades was stamina and he used it to the best possible effect right now. He kept Law covered with his body, tucked into the hollow between his chest and the bed, somehow innately aware of every subtle shift in Law’s reactions that told him what felt best and responding to it without conscious thought. 

Somehow, through it all, the kiss was his favorite part - Law’s mouth felt right against his, made this entire encounter better, and he broke it only for one moment when it felt like Law couldn’t possibly coil any tighter than he already was. The words were hard, but it was born from want, an entreaty to Law more than anything else, their lips still brushing as he spoke before he slotted them together again, “Come for me.” 

It was an order he was happy to follow, and Kid managed to get Law out of his head enough that he didn’t care how sloppy the kiss was. He rocked his hips as much as he could up into the tight, sweat-slicked fist Kid had wrapped around his cock and back down to meet the fierce and increasingly erratic thrusts that he could feel all the way through his jaw. It didn’t take much from there until he found the release he’d been after since almost the first day they’d met. Law’s body tensed, coiling around Kid like a snake to keep him close and he exhaled sharply through his nose, thick ropes of white coating his stomach and Kid’s fingers as he finally came. 

All of it, all at once, was too much. The feeling of Law’s breath stuttering against his mouth, the insanely tight way he he suddenly clenched around his cock, the sensation of every muscle in that slender body clenched so tight Kid swore he could feel each individual fiber through his skin… It was enough to make his head spin and it tore Kid’s own finish from him without ceremony, forcing him to toss his head back toward the ceiling and gasp for air as he felt his body empty everything he had to give inside Law. In a haze, Kid realized he’d never had any idea that sex could feel _that_ good. 

Law felt himself go slack once Kid had wrung him dry. He actually felt like he might be able to sleep, spent and relaxed as he was. He didn’t even mind the usually unpleasant, sticky feeling pooling between his legs. The things he usually wasn’t a fan of were so much more tolerable with Kid. He didn’t try to escape from beneath the solid form of the body above him and instead just closed his eyes and let the dizzying warmth envelop him.

Huh… Law was kinda cute when his mouth wasn’t running. With that thought perhaps the only clear thing in his head at the moment, Kid took some time to collect himself before easing his way out of Law’s body and flopping over to lay beside him. Eyes half closed and drowsy, Kid’s body moved on instinct like always. Law, Killer… what was the difference, really? He was comfortable with them both. 

Shifting he flopped the arm closest to Law out to the side, wrapping it around Law’s slender shoulders loosely, just enough to keep contact with one another. They were pressed together from ribs to thigh and Kid threw one of his legs over Law’s ankle for good measure. Deciding he was comfortable like this, Kid felt his eyes drawing even further closed, ready to rest. 

Though he laid there in contentment for a while at first, minute by minute Law felt the sex haze lift from his mind. Compared to what he usually went for, it was practically vanilla. They’d both been too eager to draw it out more than they had and now that he could think clearly again Law had to wonder why. He was usually bored with encounters like the one he’d just had, but he couldn’t find a flaw with it now. All signs pointed to the fact that, since Kid wasn’t a stranger, it was somehow better. The culmination of weeks of subtext, even if it wasn’t the complex game of “how much pain he could handle” that he usually played, resulted in probably the best sex he’d ever had. 

It was starting to freak him out, if he was being honest.

Law kept people at a distance on purpose, but here they were in his cabin on his ship. And he felt _comfortable_ with it, which was even more alarming. It wasn’t that he didn’t know they had an amicable relationship already. It was seeing all the physical reminders of just how deep this connection went. He reminded himself, again, that he didn’t have time for this. He should have ignored Kid in the bar. He should have done what he came for and now he was already out hours of work. Work that was time sensitive; the Calico pirates could get further out of his grasp and then this whole trip would be one big time suck. 

The idea of kicking Kid out now seemed unpleasant, but that just meant it needed to be done. He was too attached already. Law couldn’t fully regret that he’d let Kid fuck him; clearly he needed it. It was just a physical release he was after, weeks of attraction that had finally borne fruit and now he could walk away. 

Now that he’d had a taste, he wouldn’t lose his head every time he saw the redhead give him that smirk. That’s what he told himself, anyway. Tugging away from the warm body at his side, Law sat up. “Don’t get too comfortable,” he warned in his usual drawl, “you won’t be staying for long.”

For all that Kid had been about two to three minutes away from a genuine nap, those words made his eyes snap open, fully alert as he tilted his head to look Law’s way. While he’d heard him perfectly clearly, he wasn’t on board with what was said, “What?” His voice had an edge to it, tone clearly telegraphing that his response was more of a challenge than a question. 

This felt more familiar. Law had kicked out his fair share of men before they were ready to go. He didn’t see the need for bodily contact once they’d both come. They accomplished what they’d set out to do and he still had work to do. He looked over his shoulder at Kid but couldn’t maintain the eye contact for long. Why was this so fucking hard? “I’m not much of a cuddler,” he explained with a careless shrug. “And I have work to do.”

“We’ve all got fucking work to do,” whatever he’d been expecting, this wasn’t it, and Kid wasn’t exactly thrilled with suddenly feeling like he’d just been used. He’d be the first to say there was nothing between them but maybe some weird half-friendship thing, but even a weird half-friendship thing deserved a little more respect than to be ridden and disposed of like it didn’t exist at all. 

Stubborn and feeling a fuzz of anger starting to boil under his skin Kid stayed firmly planted to the bed, though he did push himself up on his elbows slightly to better watch Law. They’d been so in tandem before, so clearly on the same wavelength, what the hell had made that change so suddenly? Kid certainly wasn’t looking for a relationship here but this… this sensation of being used and abused and discarded, nothing more than a toy to play with, it brought up memories that he’d fought for so damn long to forget. That just made the anger flare hotter. 

Wordlessly, Law fished his clothes up from off the floor and pulled them on. It wasn’t just to show Kid he was serious, though. He found himself needing to force the separation because the alternative - crawling back in bed and letting Kid’s warmth encompass him until he could fall asleep - was too enticing. The last thing he wanted was for Kid to see his weakness, to see the results of one of his night terrors. 

In an instant, Kid lifted one of his feet and slammed it into Law’s side, hard enough - he hoped - to bruise and/or shove him off the bed, “Look at me!” Unwilling to just go as he’d been so unceremoniously commanded, Kid sank back into his safe place, the anger that acted as a shield for most of his life, “If you’re gonna kick me out, at least be man enough to do it to my face.”

The kick was enough to shove him off the bed, but he managed to stand instead of being dumped unceremoniously onto the floor. Part of him felt like he should brush it off, act like he’d been joking and get back in bed but the other half reminded him that that was exactly why he should never have let it go so far to begin with. Emotions made things messy, and Law was becoming increasingly aware that there were more emotions between them than he’d been willing to acknowledge.

Straightening, he turned to face Kid and wished he hadn’t. The other captain looked like he belonged there and that nagging insistent voice at the back of his mind (it sounded so much like Corazon) was telling him to just let himself have something good for once. It’s not a waste of time if he enjoyed it. With so many conflicting feelings and things that he told himself were the right thing to do, Law fell back to what he knew. And what he knew was to be alone. “We both got what we came here for, didn’t we?” he asked, and it wasn’t really the firm directive he meant to give. Something in Kid’s eyes wouldn’t allow him to be as harsh as he would be with anyone else.

Hurt. That’s what he was feeling underneath everything, wasn’t it? Genuine, surprised hurt. Kid certainly hadn’t expected this to be some lovey-dovey romance fest but he hadn’t thought it would end so abruptly, so cruelly. He had kind of assumed this was a friendship at this point, something that they could both enjoy. Well he was a right blind fucking idiot, wasn’t he? 

The color on his cheeks was rapidly shifting to match his hair - a byproduct of being so pale - but Kid couldn’t bring himself to care. Maybe Killer had been right about all this after all, maybe he’d been stupid and careless and maybe he deserved this. “I guess you did, didn’t you?” when Kid spoke this time it was a snarl and he threw himself upright, gaining his feet and finding himself grateful for the fact he hadn’t let Law take his pants off - it was far quicker to get redressed that way. 

He used his power to snatch his coat from the floor (the spikes weren’t just for show) before throwing it over his shoulders and turning to face Law again, fire in his eyes that had nothing in common with the heat from earlier, “You gonna do me the fucking courtesy of showing me how to get out of this fucking place, or you plan on leaving me alone to figure that out myself too?”

Law anticipated some annoyance but figured in the end Kid would want to get back to his own ship and crew anyway. This was… unexpected. He found himself wanting to backpedal, to figure out why the redhead was so angry just because he’d told him to leave. And his insinuation… “What do you mean, _I_ did?” He shouldn’t take the bait, should just let him leave but if it ended like this it felt too final. That this would never happen again, and he shouldn’t want it to, but that made Law… sad? Uncomfortable? He’d have to figure that out later.

Oh, if Law wanted to give him the opening, he’d fucking take it. Kid had always been someone who’d been fine with sharing his feelings for the most part. His anger was loud, his joy was loud, and with the right people his pain or worry could speak volumes in their silence. But sometimes, sometimes his pain was loud too. Because it had seemed like Law might have started becoming one of those people, but it turned out he’d been damn wrong about that, “I mean just what I fucking said! If all you wanted to get out of this was a fuck, you got it.” 

Just as he was open with his emotion, Kid was physical in it too. Reaching out he snatched Law’s jaw, wrenching his face around until they were eye to eye again. If there was one thing he was going to demand from the other man, it was the decency to end things to his face, “Happy with yourself now?”

The warmth from earlier was being sucked out of him and Law remembered the feeling of that dream he’d had several nights ago. The feeling of everything good evaporating all at once. “What did you want out of it if not that?” Law asked, voice softer than he meant it to be, but this time he didn’t look away and met Kid’s gaze. “What did you think this was?” His tone wasn’t derisive in spite of the words. He was honestly curious… was Kid one of those people who put some sort of value on sex? Is that what this was?

The answer came so fast it was like the crack of a whip, “A friendship.” For a moment after he’d spoken aloud Kid looked almost taken aback, like he surprised even himself by saying that aloud, but at the end of the day it was the truth, wasn’t it? He was an imbecile for seeking any sort of relationship outside the safety of his crew. He had family and friends, what the hell made him think that Trafalgar Law deserved a space carved out for him too?

“What gave you that impression?” Again, Law found himself not quite able to meet Kid’s eyes. It wasn’t that he was a bad liar, he just usually didn’t have to bother. And when he did need to lie he did so to further his own agenda. But right now, a not insignificant part of him didn’t want to lie. It was a self-preservation instinct to keep everyone at bay and it was easier to fall back on what he knew in the face of these muddled emotions that would take days to disentangle. 

Jerking Law’s head side to side, Kid gave the same command again, “Look at me!” There was something about Law deflecting that sat wrong with him, something about the way he refused to make consistent eye contact that just made him angrier. He refused to answer until Law acquiesced, refused to carry this conversation any further with the side of his face or the top of his stupid head of hair. 

Huffing out in annoyance - at Kid, at himself, at this situation he’d gotten himself into - Law tilted his head back and let his eyes meet those of the taller man. He hadn’t felt such turmoil in a long time. He’d always known what to do, what was right. Had always been focused and he hated how directionless Kid made him feel. Hated that he hated the idea of losing this even more. 

Kid went to retort, but actually being able to actually see the look Law in the eyes made his words catch in his throat. The gaze meeting his wasn’t one that matched the words being shot his way and in an instant, Kid realized that Law was grandstanding. But as for the reasons why, that he didn’t know. “You tell me, Law,” his words were accusatory but they avoided sounding sarcastic - Kid needed to wheedle further down into this discovery, figure out why Law was suddenly being such a dick. 

There were a few different paths he could take, but Law stuck with stubbornly refusing to acknowledge anything. How could he when he had no idea what he wanted, what he felt? “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he muttered, gaze shifting down before he forced eye contact with Kid once more. Law felt like he’d given himself whiplash with this back and forth. He was uncertain, vulnerable, and he’d give anything for the other captain not to see him like this.

Was he… afraid of it? Of them being… anything to one another? Is that why he was acting like this? At this point Kid felt like he’s discovered _something_ and even if he wasn’t one hundred percent sure what that something was yet, he was determined to find out. “You fucking liar,” Kid wasn’t playing around at this point, he didn’t have time for someone that was going to jerk him around - either Law straightened out now or Kid wouldn’t see him again until it was necessary to take him out with whatever brutality was required further on down the Grand Line. 

So he really was being that transparent. Law frowned and refused to say anything else, jerking his head out of Kid’s grip and gathering up his clothes again. What he needed was time. After eleven years of careful planning and a head full of nothing but revenge, Law felt himself doubting what to do. It was like he’d missed a step on the stairs, entire body anticipating stability that was suddenly absent.

At this point, Kid was not done. He was like a dog with a bone and he was going to worry at it until he was satisfied. Reaching out he grabbed at Law’s shoulder, forcibly turning him around just to emphasize his point, “It’s in your eyes, you _fucking_ liar.” Kid knew he was a mess - he knew that from a historical perspective, he knew that from a parenting skills perspective, and he knew it from a mental stability standpoint, but Law was a mess too and he deserved better than this. 

“Yeah, you said that already,” Law sniped, tugging at his clothes to straighten them out like the additional layer between them would make him feel less vulnerable. Something must be wrong with him to be acting like such a fool. Taking a deep breath, Law closed his eyes and tried to mentally force away all the conflicting thoughts and confusing feelings that were clogging up his thought processes. He knew a few things to be true; the first was that it had taken a lot for Kid to admit what he felt was between them. The second was that he didn’t want to destroy what they’d built. Whatever else might be going on right now, those were things Law could latch on to.

“Look. You want to be my friend? I need… time.” Exhaling again, Law still felt internal resistance to admitting the truth, to showing any sort of weakness. He looked back at Kid and studied his face, looking for a sign of understanding, of anything but the fury that had been there before.

“For what?” Kid’s tone was challenging but it had lost its accusatory edge, started to transform into something more willing to indulge in a genuine conversation if Law would quit being such an asshole and allow it. Unbidden, the warning Killer had given him sprang back up in his head, but this time it seemed like an admonishment rather than a warning, _There’s nothing on him. Nothing from before he was a pirate._ A frown tugged softly at his lips then, turning them down at the edges, but the way his gaze fell on Law it was clear that his mood had begun to shift from anger to a sense of… sadness? Or was it confusion as he searched for some bit of knowledge just out of his reach. What the hell had happened to Law that made him like this?

He wanted to tell Kid it was none of his business. But Kid was also someone he was fairly certain had been used for sex in his past and implying that that was his intention now was cruelty Law didn’t have in him at the moment. “To put some shit to rest,” he answered finally, settling on something vague enough he didn’t feel intensely awkward saying but with enough substance he hoped Kid would pick up what he was getting at. 

The questioning didn’t stop at this point but it remained calm, Kid seeking to understand rather than reacting in blind anger. “How long?” it was a simple question that he knew probably did not have a simple answer - and that was fine, as long as Kid had some idea as to what to expect next. 

How long would it take to come to a decision? To decide how Kid’s presence in his life fit in with his goal to finish what Corazon had started? That was almost impossible to answer, but Law had an idea that he hoped would be enough. “I’m looking for someone. Another pirate crew. Once I find them and take care of business… that should be enough time.” It wasn’t the best answer, but it was something.

That, Kid could understand. He acknowledged it with a nod, finally releasing his grip on Law and letting his posture relax just a little. While he’d come to a place of acceptance, at least for right now, that didn’t mean he was okay with the roller coaster it took to get here. Frankly, he was quite comfortable admitting to as much, “I didn’t deserve that shit from you.”

Frustrating as it was, Kid was right. There had been enough between them that he’d earned something honest from Law. It was just that he was so unused to normal human interaction he had very little experience to work with. He nodded his agreement before holding out the sash he’d rescued from the floor. “...do you want to head out yourself? Or I could just put you on your ship.” 

Kid took the sash without comment, winding it back around his waist and tying it off with practiced ease, “I’ll walk.” Weird maybe friendship or not, he still didn’t like just being moved around from place to place like some object, it was unsettling. He still wasn’t entirely happy with Law at the moment either and that lowered his sense of trust in him as well.

“...right.” Law wasn’t sure what the right thing to do was. He could read Kid well enough to know he hadn’t fully recovered, but there was nothing he could do about that now. At least, nothing he knew to do. His interpersonal skills were really shit, weren’t they? Retreating to his desk to clear the space for Kid, Law grew silent as a strange sense of melancholy settled over him. 

Watching Law, Kid could clearly see the awkwardness he was telegraphing in every movement. He found words forming on his lips again, closed his mouth for a moment to hold them in while he could determine if they were what he wanted to say right now or not. But after that brief pause he chose to let them out anyway, a parting observation more than anything else, spoken as he headed for the door, “... Something really fucked you up when you were younger.” It felt like his own acknowledgement of what caused Law to react the way he had, like it was the right thing to say to try and put this whole thing to rest behind them. 

There was a moment when Law didn’t reply, perhaps too surprised at first. It wasn’t until Kid was in the hallway that he managed it, manic laughter rising from his chest unbidden. If only Kid knew just how true his words were.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ Akimao](http://akimao.tumblr.com/post/182764001051/fuck-if-kid-didnt-wish-he-could-draw-this-sight) continues to be absolutely fucking amazing and has created more art! We don't deserve her.


	15. *In The After

At least Law’s answering laugh was just manic enough to prove to Kid his statement was right. That was comforting, in its own weird way. Stalking out into the hallway the redhead prowled through the narrow corridor like he owned the place, an odd collection of sharp, narrowed eyes and lips still stained red with touches of Law’s blood. He made it a few dozen feet before he ran into one of Law’s crew members stepping out into the hall from a side room but like hell he was stopping to make room for them. It was easy enough to use his power and just flick the door shut on them, trapping them behind it as he continued to move through the ship. 

Upon hearing the sharp, sudden sound of metal clanging shut, Bepo and Jean Bart turned from where they were further up the hallway. The crew slept at odd hours, their Captain most of all, so they were all well trained to close and open the doors quietly. Hearing the tinny metal sound was unusual. Bepo headed toward it first, poking his head around the corner. “Shachi, did you run into th-” Cutting himself off mid-sentence, the Mink raised his arms defensively at the sight of the rival captain lurking up from the bowls of the ship. “Why are you here!?” He demanded, trying to peer around the redhead to see if any of the crew - or worse yet, Law - were injured.

Great. He wasn’t in the mood to deal with this right now. Rolling his eyes as aggressively as he could manage, Kid kept moving as he spoke, refusing to let this little encounter slow him down, “Because I haven’t left yet.” Reaching Bepo, Kid went to brush past him. He wasn’t worried, this entire ship was basically his plaything and he was surrounded with ways to defend himself if need be. He actually didn’t want to get into a row down here, either; all he wanted was to find an exit and take it. 

Having heard Bepo, Jean Bart followed behind him, his massive bulk taking up the remaining space in the hall. He didn’t speak, just crossed his arms and appraised the other man. It was clear enough to him that Eustass couldn’t have gotten on board without the say so of their captain, but it was still not a good sign that Law hadn’t had him leave the way he’d come. 

Bepo seemed to be more at ease with his fellow crew member at his back. He stuck his elbows out to further block Eustass’ way. He was already over a foot taller but even still he did what he could to make himself appear larger. “You shouldn’t even be here in the first place.”

Coming to a stop, Kid kept his chin level, choosing only to look up at Bepo with a quirk to his eyebrows. Apparently, he was feeling punchy tonight because his response came quick and sharp, “If your captain wants me to fuck him, that’s his say so.” It was a lucky thing that he and Law had managed to part on some semblance of good terms because if they hadn’t he’d likely have already thrown the mink into a wall. As is, his annoyance was growing rapidly and he wouldn’t back down from a fight if it came to it. 

It was difficult to describe the sound Bepo made. It started out like an offended scoff and ended somewhere in the range of a helpless wail. “Don’t talk about our Captain like that you-!” Two things happened at once. Bepo shifted as though to lash out just as Jean Bart - who had clearly decided this situation wasn’t worth fighting over - moved to rest his hand on the mink’s shoulder to calm him. Then all at once, they were gone. In the blink of an eye Kid could see the fading outline of Law’s familiar blue ring of power before it, too, vanished. 

For a minute Kid stood stock still, arms still crossed in front of him, eyebrow cocked as he considered what just happened. In the end he could appreciate it, he supposed. At least Law had the courtesy to let him leave in peace. Using his power to navigate, Kid followed the mental map laid out in his mind, easily able to find the exit hatch that way. From there it was a quick, quiet journey back to his ship - he didn’t much want to think about it. Upon entering the bowels of his ship, Kid immediately headed for one room in particular: Yara’s. He was hoping she’d still be awake, he needed the peace he found with her. 

Before Kid could even make it to Yara’s room, she came running down the hall and launched herself as his torso; apparently someone had seen him coming and went to give her the head’s up. “You’re back!” she squealed happily as she held onto him. Clearly she was too wired from their day ashore to be ready for bed as she began trying her damnedest to scale her brother like a monkey would a tree.

When he laughed the sound was easy, natural, his posture immediately relaxing upon seeing her bounding toward him. Bending down slightly Kid helped Yara in her quest, boosting her up to sit in the crook of his elbow, “Hey, Sprout.” Taking a deep breath, the redhead held it for a moment before wrapping his other arm around her in a hug, “How was your night?” Ruffling her hair, Kid smiled softly as he waited for her response. 

“It was good!” As soon as Kid hugged her she returned it enthusiastically, squeezing her arms around his torso as tightly as she could. She always felt as though, since her brother was so strong and muscular, she should be too and she tried to show off how strong her arms were anytime she hugged him. That done, she curled her fingers around the spikes draped over Kid’s shoulders for leverage, pulling herself up to stand on his bent forearm. Once she had her balance she climbed up the rest of the way to sit on his shoulders, triumphantly holding on to fistfuls of his hair for balance. “Killer told me some stories and Wire and Legend let me try some spicy chocolate they found. It was kinda gross, but I’m tough so I ate a whole piece.” 

“A whole piece?” he queried as he lifted one hand to press it against her back, a bit of extra insurance to make sure she wouldn’t fall. Maybe it was the sugar that had her so hyper. Changing topics as he made his way into his bedroom, Kid laughed as he ducked through the dooryway, careful to protect her head, “What stories was Killer telling this time?” Once they were both ensconced in his room sat on the edge of his bed and began working his boots off, indulging in her excitement as she answered. 

Even as Kid sat Yara stayed on his shoulders, shifting her weight as he bent forward to ease his boots off. “He told me about a time when you were little and you were tryin’ to make a toy robot that could walk and you sparked yourself and it made your hair all puffy.” She giggled at the retelling of the story and bent forward to kiss the top of Kid’s head. “He said you never changed your hair after that.” 

That made Kid crack another smile; it went well with the soft chuckle that escaped him, “Yeah, I remember that.” He’d spent so much of his teen years trying to build toys for Yara from the scraps he could get away with stealing - if that meant a few wild hair days or singed fingertips, he’d happily make the exchange just to see the joy on her face. Once his boots were off Kid gently kicked them under the bed, lifting his hand to press his fingertips to her cheek, “And you think my hair is cool like this.”

“Uh huh,” she agreed readily, sitting up to fluff the hair she’d flattened as she tried to balance. “You look like a cool lion.” There was a pause then as she contemplated something, one hand moving to touch her braid. “Maybe I should cut my hair. You think I’d look like a cool lion too?” It wasn’t the first time Yara had done something in order to mimic her brother; her wardrobe made that clear enough. 

With a laugh Kid let himself fall backwards onto his expansive bed, a freefall that always got a squeal out of his sister as she landed with a soft bounce against the covers. That done he rolled onto his stomach so he could see her, reaching out to lovingly tug on her braid himself, as he so very often did, “Of course you would, but then how could I do this?” Free hand snaking out Kid grabbed her left foot, pulling her toward him with a grin, “Where’d Heat leave my bag of stuff from this morning?”

Giggling, Yara twisted to try and escape his grip but his hands were too big and he was too strong for her attempt to be a success. Giving up, she reached up and tugged on the strands of hair that fell in Kid’s face, “Uhh, like this?” Her response was pert, the grin on her face giving away how pleased she was with herself as she moved to crawl to the edge of the bed and try and peer beneath it. “I dunno, I didn’t see where he put it. Maybe under the bed?” 

“Y’think so?” pushing himself upright, Kid grabbed Yara’s ankle on the way and lifted her up until they were dangling face to face - although one of them was upside down, it was a pretty common way to see the two of them talking. “Why don’t you check for me?” the words came in tandem with Kid slowly lowering her to the floor, so she’d have a better view. 

Yara playfully blew her bangs out of her face, giving her brother a glower with absolutely no heat to it. Dangling her arms above her head, she let her palms rest on the floor for balance as she leaned in and peered beneath the bed. She squinted her eyes to try and see in the shadowy space but there were no telltale shapes she could make out. “Nuh uh, it’s not here,” she said finally, removing her hands from the floor so she was dangling again. 

A heavy, playful sigh greeted her as Kid pulled her back up to eye level, “Then what did he do with it?” It was with practiced ease that he reached up with his free hand, found the bottom of one naked foot, and started tickling it with quite a bit of gusto, “Did you hide it on me, huh?”

Swaying in his hold, Yara batted at his arms as she tried to admonish him through her giggles, “No! Kid, stop!” When that didn’t have any effect she took a different path, biting her lip to muffle the sounds trying to escape her, “Wait, wait, wait, I wanna show you something! Look what I can do!” She knew she had Kid wrapped around her finger and whenever she wanted to show off he usually indulged her. She was counting on that now.

“You can hang upside down,” he commented then, a massive, cheeky grin splitting his face, “yeah, I can see that.” Relentless in his pursuit of more giggles Kid continued to tickle her remorselessly, taking quite a bit of pleasure in the way she started to squeal. This was such easy joy and after the night he’d just had, it was exactly what he needed.

“Noooo! Kid!” Unable to hold back anymore, Yara laughed helplessly as Kid continued. She curled up as much as she was able to do while upside down, hugging her stomach. Her face started turning red after not much longer, gasping breaths making her chest heave. Kid was always vigilant and knew when it was getting to be too much for her. After he stopped, she took a few deep breaths and wiped her face where tears had started to run. “I really had something I wanted to show you,” she huffed, pouting now that her brother had let up.

Still chuckling to himself, Kid just shook his head and turned her right side up for a minute, bringing her to rest on his hip, “Y’can show me once you catch your breath.” Leaning down he pressed his face to the crown of her head, breathing softly and inhaling her fresh, clean scent. It brought him a sense of peace, like Yara was the only calm in the middle of a raging storm. 

“I wouldn’t have lost my breath if you woulda not tickled me,” she complained with a frown, hating to feel like she was being babied. She squirmed in his grasp and tried to get her feet tucked under her so she was standing in his hands. “You gotta dangle me again, I can’t show you like this,” she insisted, impatiently trying to force her ankle into his hold.

She was incorrigible and Kid couldn’t help but encourage it with a smile, “Bossy tonight, huh?” After making sure she wasn’t at all dizzy or woozy Kid indulged her with ease, though he was careful not to turn her upside down too fast. Once she was back in her previous position he met her gaze, showing her that she had all his attention, “Your show, Sprout.”

“Okay.” Her expression morphed from childish indignation to focused seriousness. She let her arms dangle above her head and let out a breath as she studied her toes carefully, wiggling them for a moment before she exhaled sharply and bent herself up, curling forward and touching her toes with the tips of her fingers before slowly letting herself dangle again. Once she’d completed what she intended on doing, she beamed and her focus returned to Kid once more. “Did you see?? I saw Killer doing it once and he said you gotta be really strong to touch your toes upside down!”

Fact of the matter was, Killer was right about that. Kid knew how important it was to Yara to fit in, to feel like she was part of the crew - like she was like him - and he knew she pushed herself to be stronger physically because that was the most obvious trait the rest of them shared. It was cute but Kid also found it oddly inspiring; like he knew someday she’d really be capable of defending herself, when she was fully grown and fully taught. The thought brought him a sense of gratitude and a tiny sigh of relief. He just has to get her there, is all. 

Not that he’d ever stop protecting her. No matter how old or strong she got. 

Before he could get himself lost down the rabbit hole of what their futures might hold, Kid shook his head slightly and let out a loud, enthusiastic whoop. Everything about him oozed pride and a genuine sense that he was impressed, “Fucking awesome, Yara! Have you been practicing with Killer or something?”

“Uhhhh... yeah!” it wasn’t a total lie; Killer had helped her. Eventually. There was a bar that the crew used for chin ups and other such exercises that was, strictly speaking, too tall for her. She’d climbed up on her own after first seeing Killer hanging upside down to attempt herself and had nearly fallen on her face. Luckily, the blonde hadn’t gotten far. She had a reputation for trying to copy the crew so it was easy enough for him to guess what she would do. That was their little secret though; he started spotting for her since then.

Carefully depositing her on her back on the bed, Kid just shook his head in amusement and sat beside her, running his fingers over her side teasingly for a moment before deciding to just pull her up and into a hug, “You’re amazing, kiddo.” Resting his chin on the top of her head Kid sighed softly, closing his eyes and holding her close to him. Maybe he’d have her stay the night like she used to when she was little, just this once…

Beaming, Yara couldn’t hide the pride in her expression at the compliment. She wanted to be just like her brother and it was obvious how much it meant to her any time she took one step closer. Whether it was having a miniature version of his jacket made to fit her small frame or pushing herself to be stronger, she did anything she could think of to mimic him. “Soooo what did you do? You were gone for, like, everrrrr.”

… How did she always manage to do that? It’s like she had a fucking sixth sense that told her exactly where to poke at him, no matter the situation. It was with a soft, quiet little sigh that he responded, not sounding quite sad but maybe just a little… forlorn, “Nothing important.” Hoping that his next question would distract her, Kid managed a grin as he looked down at her, “You wanna spend the night here with me? I’ll help you build a fort.”

It wasn’t unusual for Kid to take time to himself, drinking and stirring up trouble in port. His tone was a little off, but the situation wasn’t so strange that Yara didn’t take the bait. Slapping her palms to the mattress in excitement she nodded and vaulted off his bed to run to her room for some necessities, yelling over her shoulder as she went, “Yes! Okay just stay there I’ll be right back!” 

An indulgent smile touched his lips at that - she was still so easy to please. Kid hoped he never struggled to make her as happy in the future as she was right now - providing Yara with the life he never got to have meant more to him than anything else.

A few dozen yards across the harbor, one particular mink was not anywhere near as pleased. Bepo had fought his way from the grip of Law’s power numerous times - their Captain had been relocating anyone that got near his bedroom door for the last ten minutes but the bear could be just as stubborn when he decided it was important enough. With a huff he approached Law’s door again, taking a deep breath to scold if the telltale blue glow showed itself again.

Bepo knew how to wear him down. It had been almost amusing at first, as though the fact he was actively using his power to keep his nosy crew at bay wasn’t enough proof that he was fine. But he was getting bored of it now. He’d relocated to his desk once he got redressed, though there was little he could get his addled brain to focus on right now. Perhaps his navigator could give him some direction.

When, for the first time, Bepo finally reached Law’s cabin door he almost let himself have a satisfied little smile, but in all reality he was too anxious about the state Law was in right now to really feel any sense of pleasure. He just wanted to see him, make sure he was okay. Reaching for the door handle he jiggled it for a moment, announcing himself as he began to turn the knob, “Captain, I would like to come in.”

“So it would seem,” Law replied in that casually amused tone of his. He couldn't see a reason for Bepo to be so worked up about any of it but at the very least it might be funny to see his reaction to the bite mark in prominent display on the side of his neck. His crew fussed over him like he was some well-bred lady needing to keep her virtue intact for a fruitful marriage and they could be as amusing as they were frustrating when they discovered he was not.

Taking the lack of argument as permission Bepo was quick to let himself in before Law could change his mind. Stepping into the room with a concerned look on his face Bepo shut the door behind him softly before turning to look at Law, “Captain, I…” As his gaze landed on said captain Bepo’s face immediately fell even further, if that was possible, “Captain… no…”

Smirking idly, Law turned his chair to face Bepo fully, doing nothing to hide the obvious evidence that was causing his navigator such distress. “Something wrong?” He asked after a moment of Bepo’s alarmed silence. It was perhaps a bit sadistic to be so amused by the panicked expression the mink wore but it couldn't be helped; that he thought Law was such a delicate thing was endlessly entertaining.

Nodding mutely, Bepo fell silent, unsure of how to put the turmoil rolling around in his head into words. Eustass Kid did not belong on this sub, this place that was a safe haven for all of them. Seeing him prowl the halls had sent a genuine snap of distress down Bepo’s spine and seeing his captain here now, so casually proud of whatever untoward interaction the two of them had shared was rapidly increasing that sense of unease. 

“Did you come here to stare at me?” Law asked after a few more moments of silence, tone a bit gentler when he sensed there was more to his distress than Bepo’s strange fixation on his treatment in the bedroom. He hadn't heard what Kid had said, just the murmured echoes and his sense of who was where in his Room. He couldn't imagine the redhead threatening his crew but in the end he didn't really know.

Shaking his head, Bepo hesitated for a moment before managing to find his voice, “... No.” That said, he didn’t offer much more, choosing instead to close the distance between him and Law and just pull the other man up from his chair and into a tight, nervous hug. How he wished there was any sense to Law’s ridiculous fascination with the psychotic Captain Kid. 

This wasn't exactly the reaction he'd been anticipating but either way Law allowed it, stiffly moving one arm up to awkwardly pat Bepo’s back soothingly. The mink was one of the only people Law allowed to be so close to him without argument. “You worry to much,” he murmured into the orange fabric he was being crushed against.

“You don’t worry enough,” that response came almost immediately, Bepo’s soft voice muffled by the way he pressed his face into Law’s hair. He just wanted his captain to be safe, that’s all. Seeing him covered in bite marks and knowing that a rival had been alone with him without any of Law’s crew the wiser left him almost overwhelmed with worry.

Sighing, Law shifted his weight to put some space between them. “Bepo. Kid isn't just a rival. He's… A potential ally.” It was too soon to call him anything else. He still hasn't wrapped his mind around the redhead referring to the two of them as friends; there was no way he could admit to that relationship to Bepo this soon. “And I enjoy his company.” The way Law spoke was almost robotic, a pause between each word as he pointedly took the time to think through what he was saying as he spoke.

Out of everything that Law could have said, he picked the two things that confused Bepo even further. With a short shake of his head the mink looked down at Law with uncertainty in his gaze, “... But why?” Why would they ally with someone like Eustass Kid? Why would Law enjoy the company of someone like Eustass Kid? Why would he even think that Eustass Kid was a safe, sane, sensible person to be around?

It was a question he'd been asking himself for a while and a damn good one at that. “...We understand each other,” he heard himself murmuring moments later while his brain was still trying to sort through the deeper complexities of their connection. They enjoyed similar things, had a similar sense of humor; why he would find Kid an acceptable person to spend time with in the short term wasn't that difficult to understand. It was that this had gone far beyond short term that Law was still struggling with. He'd hoped a resolution of the sexual tension between them would be enough to cut ties but far from having his thirst quenched he already felt himself wanting more. 

“He’s crazy!” came Bepo’s instinctual response, clearly implying that he didn’t think Law fell into the same bucket. But on the tail of that came another worry and that showed clear in Bepo’s voice as he voiced his new concern, “... do we not understand you good enough, Captain?” Fidgeting with his hands Bepo frowned as his eyes started to get misty, “... we try… I’m sorry.”

As hard as he tries to fight it at first, Law couldn't help the strong attachment he had to the mink. With a sigh, Law flopped back into his chair and gestured for Bepo to sit on the bed across from him. “Look…” he paused, putting aside his barriers to let himself have a meaningful conversation. “I know you try. But I'm… Grateful you'll never be able to understand me the way he does. Our backgrounds are similar, and I wouldn't wish that on anyone, least of all you and the rest of the crew. Okay?” They'd all had their share of loss in their pasts but none of them reached the magnitude that Law and Kid’s did. 

Taking the seat as he was bidden, Bepo kept his eyes on Law and carefully considered what he was being told. While he understood Law’s perspective on one paw, the other still had its reservations, “But… we want to help you. We can help you.” The words came slow and deliberate, Bepo being very thoughtful and careful with this conversation, “... If you let us.”

At its core, the main issue was that Law didn't want to need help from anyone. That attitude was likely the cause of a number of ongoing issues that he didn't have the time to worry about right now. He also felt like, as the captain, it was his duty to worry about his crew and not the other way around. Another impossible standard to maintain considering he’d been with some of them almost half his life and it was human nature to grow bonds. “...you do. It might not look like it all the time, but you do.”

“We love you, Captain,” the tone of Bepo’s voice was unusual, as though the loving words carried a slight admonishment, “but… it’s easier when you let us.” At the end of the day, Law’s crew wanted to care for him just as much as he cared for them and Bepo had truly begun to realize that there was nothing more frustrating and heartbreaking than Law’s repeated attempts to push them away.

Those words brought a rush of memories and emotion so strong it almost took his breath away. Everyone who had ever told him they loved him was dead. It was an irrational response to think that pushing everyone away would somehow keep the same from happening again but it was a barrier Law wasn't sure how to let go of. If he didn't love anyone, their deaths couldn't destroy him again. But it was too late for that, wasn't it? Feeling his words sticking in his throat, Law nodded to try and buy himself some time. “As though I could stop any of you stubborn idiots,” he replied with the ghost of a smile playing at the corners of his lips. 

That finally got Bepo to relax, at least a little, casting a shy smile back at Law, “We learned it from you, Captain.” So maybe it was a little bit about Law’s virtue, but not really. More than anything it was about the sense of family the crew of the Polar Tang shared, the way they viewed Law as integral to who they were and how they functioned, and the sharp current of panic that wound through them all when something as dramatic as a friendly - much less sexual - interaction between their captain and someone like Eustass Kid came to light. … Okay, so maybe a little of it was jealousy too. … A little.

“C’mere,” Law replied, reaching out to ruffle the fur on top of Bepo’s head perhaps a little harder than necessary. “This isn't something you need to worry about, ok? I'm fine. Just having some fun, like Penguin is always nagging me to.” Every now and then, Law allowed himself to feel brotherly toward the younger mink as he did now. “Besides, you know I could tear him to pieces if he really bothered me.”

“Yeah, but…” even as he argued, Bepo eagerly leaned into the touch, soaking up any affection Law wanted to give him, “he could still hurt you…” Eyes drifting partially closed, Bepo’s foot starting happily patting along to the rhythm of Law’s hand, making a soft little thumping sound against the floor.

“I don't mind getting a little hurt now and then,” Law countered with an impish expression, withdrawing his hand. He knew how much it flustered most of his crew to hear it and he'd rather get back to teasing than this deeper heart to heart. Not that it didn't feel… kind of good to be open with someone he trusted.

That earned Law a groan as Bepo ducked his head and pawed, embarrassed, at his face. He still didn’t like hearing or thinking about Law being so intimate and close with somebody who didn’t deserve it. Not that Bepo wanted to experience that kind of thing with his captain, he just thought that whoever did should be… worthy. Like Ikakku, maybe. She was good.

Chuckling, Law stood and headed to the door with a gesture for the Mink to follow. “I heard Clione found a rare fish in the market,” he said to change the subject. He was fairly hungry; having eaten little all day and coming down from a bout of rigorous sex combining to make his stomach growl. “We should get some before the gluttons on the crew devour it all.”

Bounding up after his captain Bepo smiled, eager at the thought of eating dinner with Law, “Okay, Captain.” Following him into the narrow hallway the mink carefully looked over what little exposed skin he could see, checking for any other injury. He was keeping tally, in his head, of the exact number of payback wounds he was going to have to inflict on Eustass Kid one of these days.

The next morning dawned foggy and cold, rain having settled on the island overnight. This did nothing to dampen the spirits of the Eustass siblings - having fallen asleep sometime in the early morning hours, tucked carefully inside the blanket fort they’d built on top of Kid’s bed, Yara could be found sprawled across her brother’s belly with one foot propped up on a Kid’s headboard and the other dangling over the edge of the bed. For his part Kid was inverted from his usual sleeping position, head pillowed on a ruffled, bronze, heart shaped pillow Yara had brought from her room while one foot rested below Yara’s on his actual pillow and the other dusted the floor slightly every time he shifted. 

One arm draped protectively over her middle, Kid woke slowly and with a disgruntled grunt, having been in the middle of a blissfully empty dream. It was force of habit that woke him, the sense that he had things to do, little sisters to feed, a crew to watch over. Upon becoming cognizant enough to actually realize the position he was in Kid just chuckled softly to himself, looking down at the auburn haired girl. 

A small pair of goggles set nestled precariously in her hair, rucked up from their proper position by her movements as she slept. They matched the new pair he’d constructed for himself exactly, down to the last detail - of course they did, since they’d spent most of the night crafting both pairs together. It had been easy enough to find the bag Heat had left for him once he bothered to actually look and so he and Yara had taken the time they’d spent that morning carefully collecting material to turn it into a set of goggles that would please them both. 

Looking past his feet to the nightstand, Kid smiled softly to himself; he’d been sensible enough to take his off before they crashed for the night and he could see them sitting there in the dim light, finished and ready for use. It was always satisfying, to have made something with his own two hands, and it was made all the more satisfying still for Yara’s help in the design and construction. It certainly helped that she was happy now that their goggles matched once more - as sweet as she’d thought him giving his old goggles away to Sylvanas had been, Yara was still a bit put out that her set no longer had a matching pair resting atop her brother’s hair. 

Being as young as she was, Yara hadn't developed a sensitivity to movement while she slept and was still a heavy sleeper. Kid’s movements weren't enough to wake her, as she was used to the rocking of the ship on the waves. Yara continued snoring, face against her brother’s stomach and one arm pooled under her head. 

With some careful maneuvering, Kid was able to escape by sliding Yara from his stomach to the mattress with little more than a grunt from his sister. Quietly moving to the door, Kid pulled it open and looked down the hall, manipulating his power to repeatedly thump Killer’s helmet into the side of the other man’s bed until he woke up and responded to Kid’s summons.

This sort of wake up call wasn't an uncommon occurrence, so it wasn't as jarring as it had been the first time. It's was mere moments later that Kid heard the sound of his first mate’s footsteps padding down the hall, helmet tucked under one arm. “You rang?” 

Greeting him with a still rather sleepy little grin Kid nodded, running a hand through his hair as he reminded his voice how to work for the first time that morning, “Yeah. Yara stayed with me last night, I don’t want her to wake up alone, can you get breakfast?” Another common occurrence, Kid often asked Killer to get them food in situations like this - he enjoyed starting his morning with his best friend and his little sister sharing a meal together in the peace of one of their cabins. 

“Sure,” Killer replied easily, though he didn’t immediately turn to leave. He took a moment to scrutinize his captain in a way that was reminiscent of his habit of checking him over for injury after a fight. “...I see you made up your mind about Trafalgar,” he said finally. Killer was careful to keep his tone neutral. He had his own feelings about the other captain that he’d already made clear and if Kid had reason to believe the other man was worth his time in spite of that then there must be a reason for it. 

At that Kid tensed, certainly more sensitive than he normally would have been about that comment, considering how the night before had actually gone, “If I wanted to talk about it, I’d bring it up.” Perhaps sounding more defensive than he’d wanted to Kid just stepped back into his room and shut the door before Killer could say anything else, as though that meant his second-in-command would accept that he’d been banned from talking about it forever.

“I figured you wouldn’t want to talk about it in front of Yara,” Killer replied, not at all bothered that he was speaking to the wood grain of Kid’s door. He really wasn’t trying to be judgmental, he was just trying to express his concern and care for Kid like any brother would. His words were fair warning that the door wasn’t a big enough barrier to keep him from bringing it up again and when Yara was awake there was little guarantee she wouldn’t eavesdrop. Not that he would intentionally bring up something so sensitive in front of her.

“Breakfast, Killer,” came the response, still too tired to actually be as forceful as Kid meant it. Even though he and Yara had gotten a few solid hours of sleep - and she was still conked out - his mind had been too busy to really let him get the rest he needed. He was pretty sure he’d even dreamed about how the damn encounter had gone. Fucking Law, interrupting his usual routine like that.

Relenting for now, Killer went down to the kitchen. Their cook was already at work and Killer was greeted by the sound and smell of bacon sizzling away in a massive pan. A second held chocolate chip pancakes; pretty much the entire crew loved indulging Yara however they could. She essentially really was everyone’s little sister. That, and it was an excuse for the otherwise hyper masculine crew to enjoy something like pancakes. Killer grabbed two trays and loaded them both up with enough food for the three of them before returning to his captain’s room, using his foot to knock lightly on the door in case Yara was still asleep.

Kid answered after a second, still moving quietly enough to indicate that the room’s other occupant was still out of it. Holding the door open for Killer to enter, he then closed it softly behind the blonde before joining him at the small table in the corner. The trays that Killer brought more than covered the surface, the ends of both hanging over the edge, but that had never stopped them before and it wouldn’t now. Taking a seat Kid sighed softly, tilting his head back to rest against the wall and stare at the ceiling, “... I dunno, Kill. It’s messed up. He’s messed up. But… I get it.”

“Do you?” Killer’s hands busied themselves separating the piles of food into portions for the three of them. It was primarily just sausage and bacon with some eggs and toast for the men and a huge stack of pancakes they would all eventually split once Yara got to chose the ones she deemed as the best. “You wanna tell me what happened? I’m just trying to look out for you, Kid. That’s all. If you think he’s… acceptable, I just want to understand why.” 

“We fucked,” it came quietly, not meant to incite any particular reaction, just a statement of fact. That’s what happened, wasn’t it? Or was Killer asking about the fact that Law tried to kick him out like some fucking one night stand? Was he even going to tell Killer it bothered him that Law tried to kick him out like that? Maybe. Probably not. It would just lead to more questions. Continuing to stare at the ceiling Kid found himself starting to get pulled back into his thoughts again, mind running over the details of the night before. 

“No kidding,” Killer scoffed, pushing Kid’s plate of food over to him once he’d finished piling it high with all the things he knew his captain liked before starting to prepare Yara’s toast - with butter and honey, because that’s exactly how she liked it best. “You came lurking out of his sub in the middle of the night, I assumed that’s what happened. You know that’s not what I was asking.”

Kid couldn’t decide if he was trying to deflect or genuinely curious, so it was probably a mixture of both, “You think I need looking out for?” While the food smelled good it wasn’t as enticing as usual, though he was glad it was here for Yara when she eventually woke up. In his periphery he could see the top of Killer’s un-helmeted head, a rare sight for most people but one common enough for him. … when did he get so anxious and cagey about sharing anything with his blood brother? That was a disquieting question and it hit him like a box of rocks, settling low and uncomfortable in his stomach.

“Yes,” Killer replied resolutely. “Doesn’t everyone?” When it came down to it, even though everyone on the crew was capable, they all looked out for each other. It was what a real family did. Settling back once Yara’s food was finally prepared, he chewed thoughtfully on a piece of bacon. “You know I’m not asking to be judgmental, Kid.” It was true; if there was something about Trafalgar his captain found worthy, then so be it. 

It was with another sigh that Kid finally let his head drop, rubbing at his face for a moment before he met Killer’s gaze, “It just… I dunno. It wasn’t intentional. I ran into him at a bar and he was trying to work so I started fucking around with him and then next thing I know we’re back on his sub.” _Not entirely true,_ a little voice at the back of his mind chided him, _don’t act like it was all an accident._ Groaning at the world in general right about now, Kid scrubbed at his face again before continuing on, “I mean… Yeah, I knew where we were headed. But like… it was good, Kill. Felt comfortable. Warm. Like I could have fallen asleep.”

“So you trust him.” Killer knew that Kid didn’t often think through these things to a full conclusion like that. Maybe he hadn’t even had that thought himself. But Kid didn’t bother fucking around with just anyone, let alone someone he would have let his guard down enough to fall asleep next to. On a rival captain’s ship, no less. There had to be some level of trust there for him to feel that at ease. Sure, some of it might be that Trafalgar’s ship was made of metal but there had to be more to it than just that. 

Kid’s response came slow, a breath held in his chest as he considered that statement before releasing his agreement on a quiet puff of air, “Yeah… I guess.” Even now, with a little time for reflection, he wasn’t angry with Law for his initial attempt to kick him out - still annoyed, for sure, but not angry. It felt important, all the sudden, to tell Killer the full truth of what happened, “... he tried to kick me out, after. Like he’d just had me around for a lay and nothing else.” 

Killer tensed then, usual neutral expression sliding into something dark and angry. “So was he using you this whole time?” He tried not to jump to conclusions; he felt like he was the sensible one on the crew and if that was to be true he couldn’t work off of assumptions. But that was what it felt like, and he didn’t like the idea of anyone using his best friend like that. 

“No,” the word came out with such certainty it surprised Kid, his eyes widening for a moment at his own sudden sense of conviction in his answer. “Called him on it. He really pissed me off,” figuring out how to explain what had happened was more complicated than Kid would have thought, but he managed, “He basically copped to the fact his head was messed up. But he agreed that we were... “ Frustrated, Kid went to kick the table leg only to remember at the last moment that it would likely wake Yara. The aborted movement looked a little ridiculous, “Something. Maybe friends.” 

“Yeah, I could’ve told you his head was messed up,” Killer muttered, trying to banish the dark feelings Kid’s admission had directed at Trafalgar. It was likely that, if what Kid said was true and the two of them did become friends, their crews would eventually work together on something more than spontaneous combat with a few Marine ships. That meant he couldn’t harbor resentment against the other captain for something that ultimately didn’t affect him. That didn’t mean Killer wasn’t going to keep a very close eye on the other man, though. “And that’s what you want? To be friends… with Trafalgar Law?” 

The huff of air that escaped Kid at that was very clearly displeased, self-deprecating, “Sounds dumb as fuck when you say it out loud, doesn’t it?” But… none of this would be causing him so much trouble if that wasn’t true, would it? His interactions with Law were thrilling and the truth of it was, he was going out of his way to engage with the other man. It was just.. easy. It was easy to be around him. 

Before he could say anything further on the topic at hand, Killer heard the shifting of fabric on the bed and looked over to see Yara slowly stirring awake. She patted the bed next to her like she was looking for something and when she didn’t find it, redirected her hands to her eyes, rubbing at them. Pushing herself up she blinked owlishly at the two figures across the room. “Pancakes?” 

Kid was already up and out of his chair, halfway across the little room before she’d managed to lift her hands to her eyes. Nodding in response to Yara’s question, Kid scooped her up from the bed and carried her back to the table before situating them both so she was sitting in his lap, “Right here, Sprout. Killer even made your toast already.” 

Never very verbal in the morning Yara leveled Killer with a sleepy smile, eyes still half shut before reaching for the aforementioned toast and munching on it as she sagged back against Kid’s stomach. Killer just smiled indulgently and reached for the coffee he’d brought for himself and Kid. “Just wait until she discovers coffee,” he mused after taking a sip. Just after waking and just before going to sleep were the only times it seemed she lacked any energy. 

That got a soft chuckle from Kid as he finally began to eat his own portion of the meal, “We’ll never be able to sleep.” The rest of the meal passed in a very companionable, comfortable silence, with Kid focused on ensuring Yara got everything she wanted. Part way through, Kid inched out one of his feet until it found Killer’s, looping the top of his foot around the other man’s ankle in a very intentional move. It was easier to say ‘thank you’ non-verbally sometimes. 

Killer straightened that leg out further, increasing the contact between himself and Kid. They’d always been very physical with each other. Whether it was sparring together, looking after each other’s injuries, or sharing a bed as they slept it seemed that they were always in sync, always at each other’s side. It was instinct by now to keep close to his captain. Settling in, he considered the two across from him and couldn’t help but feel at peace. Regardless of whatever turmoil there may be between Kid and Trafalgar, he wasn’t going anywhere. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ Akimao](http://akimao.tumblr.com/post/182895264826/middle-fingers-in-the-air-chapter-15-yara-is) has really brought Yara to life! I don't know about you guys, but I kind of want her wardrobe, between this and her skull pajamas. Consider checking Akimao out on tumblr and for those of you leaving comments about the art, please send your comments to her directly! Not that Sull and I don't love them, but we want to make sure she gets to see them as well! :) 


	16. *A Break

Bepo’s words had an effect on Law that he couldn’t have anticipated. Though he’d initially suggested they get dinner as a way to avoid extending the conversation, Law actually let himself stay in the dining hall long after he usually would have. After all, by his own admission the night had been shot the moment he’d seen Kid in the bar. If he couldn’t be productive in the way he would have preferred, maybe it was just as good to spend that time bonding with his crew. 

Word of the other captain’s presence on the ship seemed to have spread and everyone was grateful to see Law whole and in good spirits. They didn’t bring it up, but Law could understand body language well enough to see how relieved they all were. And when he didn’t follow his usual routine of getting a tray of food to take back to his cabin and ate with them instead, the overall mood of the room skyrocketed. He hadn’t really realized just how isolated he kept himself; he still saw them every day but in reality it was mostly just in passing. 

_”We love you, Captain, but… it’s easier when you let us.”_ Those words echoing in his head, Law remained in the dining hall even after the meal was finished. When he eventually went to bed and the morning finally came, he woke up after a rare night of good sleep and didn’t feel like he’d wasted any time at all.

On the heels of what had really been a fantastic night, Law prepared to head back into town. Before he left, though, he made another rare decision and paused outside the crew’s quarters and sought out Penguin and Shachi. He didn’t usually get the crew involved in simple information gathering like this. He was never sure he’d find anything meaningful and didn’t like sending them on directionless errands. But they’d all expressed their willingness to help so often, it felt right to include them this time, especially after last night.

Always one of the first ones up and ready to eat, Shachi was dressed and brushing his teeth when the soft knock sounded on the door to their quarters. Responding quickly - toothbrush still in his mouth - he pulled the heavy door open with a quiet squeak and shot Law a startled look when he recognized who was standing on the other side of the threshold. “Cahpin,” mumbling embarrassed through a mouthful of toothpaste, Shachi went slightly red but stepped back to let Law in, “hi.”

Without bothering to hide the look of amusement on his face, Law stepped in after Shachi made room. “Bad time?” he teased as he leaned against the wall and watched his bed-headed crew member awkwardly try to finish his morning routine. “Are you the only one awake?” he added after a moment more, looking around to see if anyone else was rousing from their bunks.

Bashful, Shachi tried to shake his head to Law’s first question and nod to his second and wound up pulling off nothing but a very awkward head bob that really didn’t answer either inquiry. But he hurried back to the bathroom immediately after that, half to hide and half to get rid of the foam in his mouth. That done he rinsed quickly, ran a comb through his hair once, and crammed his hat on his head as he went back to meet Law, quiet as he spoke, “Sorry, Captain, that was…”

“Was what?” Law asked with an eyebrow raised, still harboring an amused expression at how embarrassed Shachi was over something so minor. “Do you think I’m unfamiliar with the mystery of good hygiene?” Deciding he’d been teased enough, Law gestured toward the bunks. “Go wake up Penguin. I have something for you both.”

Nodding energetically this time, Shachi turned on his heel and immediately went to execute the order, grateful that he had something to do to occupy his time and hands. He was kind as he roused Penguin, sitting beside him and shaking his arm gently, “Hey, Peng, get up, the Captain wants us.”

Penguin had perhaps been a little too enthusiastic about Law’s presence the previous night and had a little more than usual to drink. That said, he didn’t rouse easily and when he finally managed to crack open eyelids that felt like they’d been glued together, it was to glare at Shachi. “F’ckoff,” he glowered, trying to pull his pillow over his head to shut out Shachi and the rest of the sub while he was at it.

With a somewhat hurt frown, Shachi reached out and pulled the pillow away from Penguin, dropping it onto the floor, “You wanna say that to the Captain? He’s waiting for us.” Shachi had learned from his history, was no longer one to lash out or be mean and call it “fun” but he wasn’t above resorting to more aggressive methods if Penguin didn’t come along quickly.

Pushing up onto one elbow, Penguin considered his companion seriously for a moment before he spoke. “...waiting for us? Something important happening?” Law had set his expectations for his crew early on and, as long as said expectations were followed, was fairly hands off. It was part of the reason they respected him so much. No one liked a micromanager. 

“I dunno,” the response came quiet and forceful, Shachi not liking how long this was taking, “but he’s by the door right now.” He liked a drink as much as the next guy, but at least he knew when to call it enough. Penguin clearly hadn’t learned that lesson yet. Whatever reason Law had shown up this early, he looked happy. Shachi wanted to keep it that way.

If it was for the captain, Penguin decided it was worth getting out of bed. “Move,” he grunted as he practically rolled onto the floor, groaning as he pushed himself up. “Shit. Maybe I overdid it a little,” he complained, pressing his palm to his forehead. It wouldn’t have been a big deal if all he had to look forward to was his turn keeping watch and a jaunt into port whenever he felt up to it. 

“Maybe,” Shachi commented a little sardonically, helping him up with a hand on one bicep. Watching carefully to make sure that Penguin was going to stay upright, Shachi held him for a moment before daring to let go, nudging him toward the door, “Go on, then.” He may have had an amused little grin on his face - at least he knew which of them was going to have an easier time with their Captain’s orders today.

Law could hear the two of them murmuring so when they finally emerged from the bunk room he met them both with an expectant expression. When he saw that Penguin looked dead on his feet he had to resist the urge to tease him. “You look half dead,” he commented, speaking a little louder than strictly necessary. Seeing Penguin wince confirmed his speculation and he shook his head a little. His presence had been celebrated harder than necessary by his first mate, it seemed. “I need a favor from you two.”

“Yeah,” Shachi’s response came immediately, his posture perking up and an eager smile reaching his face, “okay, anything, Captain! What can we do?” While he was eager to help Law, he also couldn’t help but take a little pleasure in the dirty looks Penguin was shooting his way - hey, it wasn’t his fault the guy drank more than he could handle. If Shachi wanted to be happy and bright, he deserved to be. 

“It’s simple enough, even considering the state Peng’s in,” Law began, cracking a smile at the other man’s plight. “There’s a bar I want you to visit. It’s called the Cock’s Crow, the sign has a spiral painted on it. You can’t miss it. I want you to go and just… listen. Keep track of anything interesting you hear.” The instructions were vague, even for him. But he never knew what sort of information he’d overhear so it wouldn’t do any good to tell them to listen for anything specific.

Nodding energetically Shachi began plotting their day out loud, partially to make sure Law was on board with the plan but mostly because that’s just who he was as a person, “Okay! Step one, find the bar. Step two, get a table. Step three, be inconspicuous. Step four, listen. Step five, report back. We can do that, Captain!”

“Right,” Law nodded along with each step Shachi listed out. “If you hear the same names over and over, I want to know that too. I’ll be at another bar close by. Stay for a few hours, get some drinks, blend in. I’ll meet you back here.” This was just a test run, for now. Law didn’t like the idea of giving up control of his information gathering, but he could only be in two places at once in theory. 

Beaming with pride at the fact Law was trusting them with something new, Shachi nodded in excitement and grabbed Penguin’s arm, pulling him toward the outer hatch of the Polar Tang, “Come on, we’ve got work to do!” As enthusiastic as he was the question of whether or not Shachi could actually be inconspicuous was up in the air, but damn if he wasn’t going to try.

With a sigh, Law activated a Room and pulled Shachi and Penguin back to him. “Part of being inconspicuous is not wearing your usual uniforms with our jolly roger printed on it,” he drawled, though he couldn’t really be annoyed. Not with how excited they were to be of use - even Penguin was excited, hungover as he was. It seemed like such a small thing, but it actually made him feel… good. Warm. He liked seeing how such simple things made them happy. 

The look that came over both their faces was at once crestfallen - for failing at one of the steps already - and embarrassed - for being such idiots. With a solemn and bashful nod they both skittered back into their quarters to change, Penguin even hanging his hat back on its usual hook to avoid being obvious. That done they reported back to the hallway and their Captain, hoping this time to pass muster.

Law was left in the hallway wondering why his approval mattered so much to them. It was perhaps an unfair thing to ponder; he knew they were loyal. He knew they would follow him into whatever dangers he’d lead them to. That he didn’t question. He just had to wonder… why. He’d been realizing more and more lately just how withdrawn a captain he was, so it couldn’t be his hands on approach. And though he was strong, he didn’t flaunt his power so it couldn’t be because of his strength alone. He certainly wasn’t a people person. 

These were probably things he should have considered sooner. With as much attention as he poured into his goals, Law was realizing more and more that he paid too little attention to everything else that was around him. When Penguin and Shachi appeared again, Law simply nodded once. They looked just like anyone else you might run into in a port. “Good. Get going, I’ll see you later.”

With a sharp, officious nod on Shachi’s part and a much more watered down version of the same from Penguin the two of them headed off yet again, this time making it to the hatch and heading into town. Determined to make sure they brought back something good, both men focused on their instructions, starting to quietly prepare a backstory in case anybody asked. 

With the two of them off to the Cock’s Crow, Law headed back to the bar he’d gotten distracted by Kid in. The Anchor was much quieter at this time of day but the whole point was to overhear the various conversations had throughout the day. The grizzled veterans that seemed to occupy the bars almost before they even opened had different discussions than the regulars who arrived after their day’s work was finished. 

Law stayed at the Anchor for as long as he could comfortably manage without sticking out like a sore thumb. He didn’t learn much except that the old men that frequented this particular bar communicated primarily in grunts when they felt like speaking at all. There was still no sign of where Shrike’s Alley might be. Leaving the bars behind, he headed deeper into the city, making note of the gambling dens and brothels as he went. Several of the buildings shared decor with the bars - a seven pointed star, a spiral, a pitcher flower, and a teardrop repeated themselves on the signs displayed at the entrance of each one. 

By the time he returned to his ship, Law felt like he’d learned almost nothing. There were four groups of various businesses that all seemed to be affiliated with the four crime families that ran the island, but that wasn’t very surprising. All he could hope was that Shachi and Penguin had learned something that might help him further. He regretted not telling them to keep an ear out for mention of Shrike’s Alley. 

It was about an hour later that Shachi and Penguin returned, both bubbling with excitement and one much less hungover then he’d been when they left. Entering the ship and calling for their captain, Penguin couldn’t help but smirk and jiggle his pockets as they passed Ikkaku, the sound of coins rattling in his coat ringing loud and clear in the hallway, “Gamblin’s good cover and I cleaned house.”

“You’re going to get strung up for all the cheating you do,” she replied as they passed, rolling her eyes at his bragging. She lost to Penguin with some frequency because she refused to cheat; if she was going to be good at something, she wanted it to be because she was skilled. By now, she was much more talented at spotting sleight of hand tricks than playing cards, and to be honest that was more useful in the end anyway.

“Only if they caught me,” came the immediate and habitual response, “and they ain’t ever gonna do that.” Cocky and happy with it, Penguin leaned in and pressed a lightning quick kiss to Ikkaku’s lips before she could say anything else, pulling back to give her a playful, hopeful grin, “Next time Captain gives us shore leave I’ll spend it on you, yeah?”

Before he’d even fully pulled away Ikkaku spun into a low crouch, sweeping her leg out to take Penguin’s legs out from under him. Standing fluidly, she crossed her arms and stared down at him smugly, “Kiss me again without my permission and I’ll really make it hurt,” she warned before turning to saunter away. It wasn’t that she minded Penguin flirting with her; she liked him and the attention. But being the only woman on the crew made her a little hesitant to give in entirely. She wanted to be taken seriously more than anything. 

Once he’d stopped laughing, Shachi held out a hand to help Penguin stand. “...at least she didn’t turn you down for shore leave?” he offered, barely able to keep from dissolving into laughter again. 

Though he’d admit to having winced when he hit the ground, by the time Shachi helped him up Penguin was grinning again, running a hand through his uncovered hair with a bright laugh as he nodded, “Right! I’m gonna win her over someday. She’s so aggressive when she flirts.” He’d been pursuing Ikkaku for a while now and though she hadn’t gone on a date with him yet, she never told him to stop trying for one, either. Penguin was persistent when he wanted to be.

“Come on, let’s find the captain. You can annoy Ikkaku later. She really might break your face one of these days, you know,” Shachi teased with a sly grin. More than just a few members of the crew had taken bets on whether or not Penguin would be successful in his pursuit. Shachi wanted him to be, of course, but it was still a little funny to see him fail every now and then. 

“Better my face than my heart,” Penguin commented without concern, hands tucked into his pockets again as they continued to head for Law’s quarters. He hoped the information they’d gathered for their Captain would be of value but there was no real way to determine that until they told him. Coming to a stop in front of the door to Law’s office, Penguin leaned in and knocked his forehead against it three times in his own strange little version of a knock, “Captain, we’re back!”

Rather than opening the door for them, Law remained at his desk where he was sketching out what he remembered of the city, making notes of where the buildings associated with each of the families were to see if there was any sort of pattern. “Come in,” he replied belatedly, distracted as he tried to recall the details in the layout of the areas he’d been to. 

Used to their Captain’s often distracted demeanor, neither man let it phase him as Penguin opened the door and they both stepped into the room. Greeting Law with an effervescent hello, Shachi rocked back and forth on his heels for a moment as he waited for Law to finish sketching things out - he didn’t want to interrupt.

They didn’t have to wait long. Law decided his memory was too imperfect to keep trying to sketch the same part he’d been stuck on; he’d have to go out again tomorrow with the intent to map the place out. It wasn’t something he did often but he wasn’t sure how long he would be here so it seemed to be a useful endeavor. He tucked away the incomplete map before looking up at both of them expectantly.

Taking the signal for what it was, Shachi and Penguin began spilling their story immediately, though it was surprisingly fluent as it flowed between them, each sharing different pieces without talking over one another or breaking a cohesive narrative. Though they - Penguin, in particular - liked to embellish a bit on the dramatics of it, or exaggerate on how big the stakes were of a poker game or two, all the facts Law needed were accurate and true. 

The story, when broken down into its most basic parts, was that they had repeatedly heard the name Gen Lisea and that those who had mentioned him seemed very excited to talk about how powerful and strong he was becoming. The word “powerful” had been thrown around more than once. On top of that, the other thing that stood out was that everyone in the bar seemed to have a serious distaste for some dude named Aldro Vanda; more than one person had spit in disgust whenever he was brought up.

“Aaaaand, Peng just tried to kiss Ikkaku on our way down here and she laid him flat on his ass,” Shachi finished their report with a grin and a little flourish in Penguin’s direction, “but you gotta give them a shore excursion, Captain, ‘cause she didn’t turn down letting him spend his money on her.” 

Although it wasn’t necessarily information he hadn’t already known, Law appreciated their efforts. It was actually useful to see that it wasn’t just a one time thing he’d overheard. The Cock’s Crow was clearly affiliated with Gen Lisea’s family, but that meant the three others were equal rivals. So why did they only seem to show such a harsh distaste for one of them? He needed to know which of the four, if any, the Calico pirates were working with. 

Shachi’s change of subject took a moment for Law to catch up to, as caught up in his own thoughts as he was. Once he processed what was said, though, he grinned and clapped Penguin’s shoulder. “Sure. Tomorrow then. Just don’t come back with any dislocated limbs, I’ve got work to do that doesn’t include setting bones.” 

“Sure thing, Cap,” Penguin responded with a grin, pleased to see that they seemed to have pleased Law with their findings, “I just won’t kiss her again without her telling me so.” Report delivered, Penguin snapped Law a quick salute and turned to Shachi, sticking his tongue out at him somewhat petulantly, “See, Captain thinks if she was gonna break anything it would just be an arm or something. She likes my face too much.”

“Whatever, man, I still think she’s too tough for you,” Shachi replied, shoving lightly at his friend’s shoulder. “Is that everything?” he asked, checking in before assuming they were free to go. Their captain sometimes had strange whims.

“Unless there’s something you failed to tell me, then yes. Use your time wisely, Peng. You only have a night to decide how you’re going to spend your gambling money on Ikkaku.” With a lopsided grin, Law waved the two of them out. 

“H-hey,” stuttering a little, Penguin shot a confused look back at Law, almost as though he was hurt, “I know how to wine and dine and please a pretty lady! I don’t need even an hour, much less a whole night to figure that out!” But even amidst his protests he let Shachi usher him out the door, mouth open and closing a bit like a fish as he tried to figure out whether or not he had more of an argument in him. It was the last thing Law saw before Shachi closed the door behind them.

Over the next few days, it was only through sheer force of will that Law kept on task. Kid’s ship was there, so close he could reach it with his Room if he wanted and the fact that his attention kept wandering that direction was frustrating. He had been partially right about the sex, though; he wasn’t so distracted that he couldn’t work when the redhead was near. 

He picked the bar he had the best feeling about - the Bronze Lantern, displaying the seven pointed star he determined to be indicative of Aldro Vanda’s affiliations - and spent much of his time there. Bars were the easiest places to make inquiries for the sort of information. He installed himself there over the following several days, marking the passage of time each evening with that day’s rendition of Penguin’s attempts to woo Ikkaku. 

Even though he was technically taking time away from his relentless planning by spending time with his crew, Law found that he got more or less the same amount of work done each evening. It made him question, more than a little, just how much time he spent half at war with himself every night. 

He hadn’t forgotten Kid, either, or his insistence that he just needed time to clear his head. Law didn’t feel any closer to that goal and as each day wore on with no contact between the two of them it was like gravity had increased in the general vicinity of his stomach. 

Law waited nearly a week before he started making inquiries. Subtle, at first. The nature of the apparent feud between Gen Lisea and Aldro Vanda. The general workings of the four families - what each of them specialized in, alliances, general details that wouldn’t draw too much attention. Nothing was leading in the direction he was hoping for.

After nine days, Law found himself nearly dozing off in the corner of the Bronze Lantern. Either Shrike’s Alley was a very closely held secret or it belonged to a different family and he’d get nowhere here. It felt like a lot of time wasted for a bust, so he’d decided he might as well drink enough to make up for it and start anew in the morning. 

Across the bar, a burly and somewhat unkempt man had been keeping a close eye on Law for the last hour or so. He’d received reports that the scrawny kid had been trying to poke his nose into enough sensitive places that his intentions needed to be… clarified. Waiting until Law was a few more pints into his drink and therefore more likely to talk freely, the man - Osera - levered himself up out of his chair and headed to Law’s table, helping himself to the chair directly across from him, impossible to miss in his line of sight. 

Even as the man approached and slid into the chair across from him, Law’s demeanor didn’t change. He wasn’t worried, didn’t want to appear too interested or eager for information. He simply finished his drink and pushed the empty glass toward the center of the table. “You have a drink you’d recommend?” he asked innocently enough, veiling his true question; what do you want?

“I’m not a bartender,” uninterested in beating around the bush, Osera reached out and took Law’s proffered cup, calmly and sharply smashing it against the side of the table until it split in half and left him holding a nasty piece of work - a circle of jagged, broken glass held easily in his hand by the still intact base, “What business do you have with the Vanda Family?”

“Heh.” Far from being alarmed, Law leaned back in his seat and considered the man opposite him. He looked… purposefully unkempt, somehow. In the low light he could still pick out a seven pointed star pinned on his lapel. Well, that fit his image of a low level thug with the Vanda family. “You’re the most interesting person I’ve met on this island so far,” he replied, completely unconcerned with the jagged glass the other man wielded. “What makes you think I have any business with the Vanda family?”

Thug, sure. But Osera would have taken umbrage to being described as low level. Still moving slowly and deliberately he shoved the table forward until it was pressed hard into Law’s stomach, “I’m the one asking questions.” Voice low and threatening, he kept his gaze locked on Law, “Now answer it.”

“Friendly, aren’t you?” Law antagonized further. He knew it was foolish to toy with the other man too much; he couldn’t really be sure who had a devil fruit power and who didn’t. Holding his hands up defensively, he laid them flat on the table to indicate his compliance. “I don’t have any business with the Vanda family. I have business with the Calico pirates. This place seemed the most credible, so I thought I might learn about Shrike’s Alley here.” His usual tactics hadn’t worked; why not try the truth?

“What business?” the other man continued to probe, eyes narrowed as he watched Law. He took some pleasure in Law’s obedience but it wasn’t enough to make the conversation friendly. The Calico Pirates were no friends of the Vanda’s and if this kid was too stupid to know that and said the wrong thing, he was about to find out real soon just what it meant to be enemies with his employer.

“Well. I wouldn’t say the friendly kind,” Law explained, flexing his fingers to draw attention to the letters tattooed across his knuckles. A bold move, really, considering he still wasn’t sure who the Calico pirates had affiliated themselves with. It was only a 25% chance it was the wrong thing to say, though, and Law would take those odds. 

“I didn’t ask for fuckin’ smart ass answers, you little punk,” clearly practiced in the realm of being a threatening presence, Osera kept his demeanor calm and his gaze firmly planted on Law, “talk straight or I’m gonna stab you.” He wasn’t in the mood for this back and forth, he just wanted to figure out if Law was a threat that needed to be neutralized or someone that could be used.

“As funny as it would be to see you try,” Law began, pulling his hands back before the other man could decide to try it before he finished. “I’m really not in a mood to get stabbed. I want to kill them. That was what I was getting at with the whole ‘DEATH’ thing.” Law flashed his fingers again for emphasis. He was oddly talkative right now, especially with someone threatening him. Must be the booze…

Ah. … That, Osera could work with. Nodding slightly the man’s posture relaxed slightly, though he stayed focused and wasn’t entirely welcoming quite yet. “Why?” when the question came it was still firm, but less of a sharp demand. He and the Vanda’s would happily see every last Calico slaughtered just for fun, so this could be interesting. 

“I’m not a fan of their work,” Law replied, shrugging carelessly. He didn’t need to explain his whole life’s story to this guy just for information. Though, judging by his relaxed posture, he could guess that his gamble had been successful. 

After a moment’s deliberation Osera decided to indulge in the conversation, pulling the table back enough that Law could comfortably breath again before responding, “Neither are we.” Sensing a potential opportunity to help eradicate a common enemy, the bigger man gestured for the bartender to bring them a couple beers, make it a nice conversation, “What’s your end goal?”

“Wipe them out. They’re a pretty big group, I hear. Their deaths will buy me some much needed leverage in certain circles.” This guy didn’t need to know what his goal was with their deaths; a criminal organization was unlikely to assist in a pirate becoming a Warlord.

“And you think you’re strong enough for that?” the question was a challenge, but one that Osera hoped Law could rise to meet. The Calico Pirates had been a thorn in his employer’s side for too long now, working to tip the balance of power on the island away from the Vanda Family and hand it to miserable old bastard Gen Lisea. If somebody else wanted to help put an end to that issue he’d be a fool to turn it away.

“I’d say so,” Law drawled, his arms draped casually across the back of the chair. This guy was asking for a reason, but he didn’t want to give too much away. Either he’d offer information, help, or simply just allow Law to continue operating as he had been. Law wasn’t the type who gave away information for free. 

It was a bit of a gamble, but not one he felt had too much risk to execute. Setting the broken glass down on the table as a show of goodwill Osera leaned back in his own chair, crossing his hands over his rather ample stomach, “Prove it and I’ll help you skip a couple steps.” 

“And how you would like me to do that?” The offer of help was intriguing, to say the least. There were a couple things he could think of that would help him skip a couple of steps, all of which were welcome, but what he was willing to share depended on what the heavy was offering.

Shrugging, Osera let the question roll off his back, unconcerned, “That’s not my issue. But you prove you deserve it and I might have an eternal pose to their home island for you.” Before Law could respond he held up one finger, adding an addendum to his previous statement, “But if I give them to you and you fail, I’ll fuck you and yours right up.”

“Hah! And are you going to prove you’re capable of that in return?” Law challenged, though the grin on his face made it clear enough it wasn’t a serious question. “You’ve left me with an interesting challenge. How do I prove to you I can kill a large number of people without doing exactly that? I don’t think you’d appreciate mass murder in your bar.”

The level look that got shot Law’s way at that made it quite clear that Osera certainly would not appreciate that. He’d been studying Law for a while now, trying to figure out why he looked familiar, when suddenly the wanted poster finally popped crystal clear into his mind’s eye - this guy was a fucking Supernova, that was right. But, prowess on the other side of the Red Line didn’t necessarily mean shit here. The kid was still going to have to prove himself. 

The flash of recognition on the other man’s face made Law grin, almost feral in its intensity. Finally having success after being on the edge of giving up on this place coupled with the drink had him feeling strangely giddy. “So you tell me. What’s acceptable and what’s not? I’d hate to upset the patrons here.”

“If I knew what you were capable of I wouldn’t have to ask,” tone getting a little terse, Osera’s fingers started flexing on top of the table, “and at this point, I’m thinking you need to prove your judgement to me, too.” If the kid couldn’t figure out what was and wasn’t a good move in this scenario, Osera certainly wouldn’t approve of him going after the Calico Pirates with any help from him

“Mmh, you’re right. Maybe violence isn’t always the answer.” Corazon would be proud of him for saying that, even if he didn’t necessarily mean it. Pushing his power out around him in a small circle, he was careful to enclose himself and the other man in his Room before reaching for the knife he kept in his coat. “Don’t worry, this isn’t for you,” he said as he drew it. “I’ll just give you a preview of what I can do.” To punctuate his words, Law brought the edge of the knife down onto his wrist with much more force than necessary, cleanly severing his hand from his arm. 

It was only the fact that he’d had some idea of what the newcomer Trafalgar Law could do that stopped Osera from flipping his lid at that little display. As it was he sucked in a deep breath, holding it for a moment before breathing out slowly, “Your hand does you more good attached.” 

Law hummed in agreement, sitting back in his chair with the handless stump of his arm draped in his lap. “Detached has its uses too,” he commented, grinning a little as the fingers of his hand curled so the palm was hovering above the table. It skittered forward like a grotesque flesh spider and he’d be lying if he didn’t say the disturbed expression on the other man’s face didn’t bring him endless joy. It was so easy to unsettle people. 

“I’ve seen enough,” came the sharp response, a tad more forceful than necessarily. Whatever, the dude had some freaky power, it was enough to spend an eternal pose on; especially if it would otherwise keep the family name out of the spotlight should something go right or wrong. Standing up Osera grimaced, going quiet for a moment before a burp escaped him. “Come back tomorrow morning, I’ll have what you need. You keep this conversation and where you got the pose to yourself, got it?”

Letting his arm rest on the table again, Law watched as his hand reattached itself. He let the Room fade, flexing and curling his fingers as he spoke, “I can do that. Do you have a name, by the way? Or should I just call you ‘that guy’?” 

“Osera,” he said by way of goodbye, turning on his heel to head back to his spot in the rear corner of the bar. He’d be curious to see what this Trafalgar was actually capable of. If he could do some serious damage to the Calico Pirates without his employer having to do more than provide a log pose, it would be a worthwhile cost indeed.

There was really no better time to leave than now. Just when he’d thought this had been a bust, Law got the biggest lead he ever would. There was nothing left to do now but wait for the morning, so he returned to his ship in high spirits. It was a warm night, kept from being stifling by the soothing breeze that seemed to push him back toward the Polar Tang like an encouraging hand on his shoulder. Bepo must have seen him coming and was waiting on the other side of the gangplank. Before the Mink could speak, Law threw his arm around him and grinned. “Tell the crew to prepare to leave tomorrow. I finally got a lead.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ Akimao](http://akimao.tumblr.com/post/183148302866/middle-fingers-in-the-air-chapter-16) has provided us with animation this time. I'm constantly impressed by people who can gif anything. I had a lot of fun writing this scene, thank you so much for providing the perfect accompaniment! 


	17. *Parting

Following his rather… complicated first night spent aboard the Polar Tang, Kid decided some time away from Law might not be the worst idea, all things considered. Figuring out his next steps was crucial at this point anyway, as island hopping from here on out wasn’t going to do him much good. If it were that easy to find Raftel, someone would have already done it. Fact of the matter was, they needed more information than they had and some kind of systemic organization to find it. 

Those were the conversation he, Killer, and to a lesser extent Heat and Wire had been having over the past couple nights, holed up in their war room and trying to strategize. The discussion had gotten heated a few times, as it often did between them when big things were at stake, but it was only because they were all so invested - nobody held a grudge very long. But this night things were quieter, just Killer and Kid trying to decipher the right thing to do next.

Setting his beer down on the table between them Kid let out a sigh as he shook his head, in the middle of talking through what they learned earlier that day. “Fucking… poneglyphs, Kill? What are we gonna do to get our hands on those? Do you speak old timey fucking pictograph language? ‘Cause I sure as hell don’t.”

“Gold Roger figured it out, didn’t he?” Killer challenged, finding it worked best not to worry until they had something to worry about. “Are you saying he had something you don’t?” the best way to keep Kid focused was usually to make the stakes higher. He had a competitive streak a mile wide and maybe he took advantage of that sometimes when his captain was having trouble with motivation.

Turning his gaze up to meet his second’s, Kid shot him a look of pure displeasure, “Like hell.” Scrubbing at the back of his head with one hand, Kid forced himself to take a breath, another drink, and then return his attention back to the myriad of notes and maps and half-finished potential plans sketched out in front of them. “... but what next…?” the question was one for himself as much as it was Killer, just thought spoken aloud. 

“We’re just wasting time and resources bouncing from island to island as we have been.” In all honesty, Killer had been thinking along these lines for some time. It just never seemed to be a good time to bring it up, considering how much Kid had been enjoying following Trafalgar thus far. While things seemed to have cooled off between them, there were numerous other reasons for Kid to push back. “...I think we need to set up a base. We can gather information before we leave again. And honestly, this island is as good as we’re going to find for that.”

The idea of a base, as a pirate, seemed a little ridiculous to be honest, but Kid kept that initial observation to himself. Fiddling with the drafting pencil in his hand, Kid tapped it back and forth on either side of the desk as he considered his response, “... Explain to me why you think that’s best. Why a base, why here.” He learned a long time ago not to discredit Killer’s thought processes and he wasn’t going to let himself begin doing it now. 

Holding back a sigh, Killer launched into his collection of sensible reasons, “We use less resources staying in one place. We’ll travel for things we need, of course, but if we can start stockpiling things and keeping the ship in better repair it’ll be for the best in the long run.” They’d had pieces of this conversation before, though never as a serious consideration for the present, “As for why here, well… it’s an island run by criminals. We wouldn’t have to worry about the marines.”

Kid’s counter came immediately, but it wasn’t harsh or judgemental, just sincere, “Does that make it a safe place for Yara?” If he was, for the first time in her life, going to set up some place other than the ship as a base for them all it was damn well going to be a place deserving of being called her home. As for all the other reasons, yeah, yeah… they made sense but that didn’t automatically make it the right thing either.

“As safe as any place could be. I’ve seen kids in port. There’s not daily riots in the streets, you know.” If his words had an edge to them, it was only because Killer was sometimes annoyed that Kid acted like he didn’t also have Yara’s safety in mind when he came up with a plan. They were both his family, after all. 

Nodding a little as though he just needed someone to say it out loud, Kid drew a hand across his eyes, suddenly feeling tired, “... we shouldn’t do it on the mainland though, too exposed.” He was still a Supernova - or Worst Generation, whatever they were calling it now - and that made him a target for some beefed up idiots who thought they were strong enough to take him and claim his bounty. No sense in making it any easier for them to locate him.

“It might not hurt to make an alliance with one of the families,” Killer began, speaking slowly as the idea came to him. “Figure out what they want that we have in exchange for some space.” The upside to this particular island was the fact that it was criminally run and therefore less likely to cause problems for a pirate crew, at least one passing through. However, the fact that it was split by four families made it likely that they were territorial over those looking to stay long term. It would be difficult to carve out a space for themselves without any sort of arrangement with one of the four.

At that Kid snorted under his breath, displeased by the very concept of having to ally with anyone at all. But he knew Killer’s logic was sound, so he didn’t argue outright, “... You got a specific one in mind?” He and his crew were generally okay with being heavies if need be, bash a few faces in, break a few bones, but only if it was against people of a similarly shady character. If that was the only cost, it might be worth paying. 

“No, not yet. The thought just occurred to me. I’ll work on some research, though. I’m just not sure how necessary they’ll find our usual gig.” Killer rubbed the back of his head absently, thinking through what he’d overheard and what little he knew of the island. A place like this had their own muscle. They’d need to have a back up plan.

Nodding in acknowledgement, Kid nonetheless decided he had to give Killer at least a little trouble, “Or we could just find an accessory island, dock there, say fuck ‘em, and decide it’s ours. That’s an option.” Flashing his second a grin Kid laced his fingers together behind his head and leaned back in his chair, balancing on the back two legs, expression smug.

“Right.” Killer cocked an eyebrow behind his mask and crossed his arms loosely. Kid somehow always knew his expressions just by his body language even when he couldn’t see his face. “And invite consistent, nagging trouble at the place we intend to call home for awhile. Better to get along with the locals.” 

“Not gonna lie, Kill,” the grin on Kid’s face started to expand as he kept talking, like he knew he was poking the bear and was already running to go get a sharper stick, “this is why everyone on the ship calls you ‘mom.’” Kid wasn’t really trying to argue Killer’s point, he saw the sense in it, but he was never one to miss an opportunity to take the piss out of his blood brother.

Rolling his eyes, Killer let his arms fall to his sides as he shook his head. He couldn’t help he was the only sensible one in the group. He was probably the reason most of them were still alive, given their penchant for running head first into situations only half-cocked. It’d be a lie to say he wished it would change, though. “I expect a nice breakfast for Mother’s Day,” he replied flatly.

“Done!” Kid’s response was bright and cheery, a laugh bubbling up through his words as he spoke, “I’ll help Yara bring it to you.” All joking aside he knew Killer was right and as he took another gulp of his beer he sighed, staring up at the ceiling for a moment as he thought of what to say, “... see what research you can dig up, who makes the most sense to ally with.” 

Killer could already imagine the half burnt pancakes with mashed blueberry eyes and a bacon smile that Yara would come up with and Kid would wildly encourage. The more massive the better. It’d be a nice gesture if either of them could actually cook. Killer didn’t bother responding to Kid’s final words, nodding instead. He’d have to determine what sort of businesses each of these families had. The last thing he wanted to put Kid in close contact with was someone who condoned all the shit he hated.

That decided, Kid let his chair come back to all fours and stood, rounding the table until he was standing in front of Killer, “Come on.” Nodding his head toward the door Kid made his intentions obvious - he was in the mood for a languorous cuddle and maybe a little necking. Waiting for Killer to respond, Kid laced his fingers together above his head he stretched upward, revealing a little sliver of skin between his the sash at his waist and the hem of his pants.

In this, Kid was predictable. Once the serious business was done, unless he was in an abysmal mood, he always wanted to go relax. If he didn’t know the redhead so well, he might find it strange just how tactile he could be, how much he enjoyed affection and closeness with the people he considered family. To Killer it was absolutely normal. Kid was a physical person in general and strangers saw it manifest most often in violence, but for the crew it was an arm around the shoulder; a playful noogie; a slap on the ass. For him, it was cuddling. Gesturing for Kid to lead the way, Killer pushed his chair back to follow.

Deciding what room to inhabit for the night was easy - any time he was interested in more than just a little closeness before bed, they went to Killer’s room. He didn’t want Yara walking in on them making out. As he passed by her door he paused just for a moment, whispering a sweet goodnight against the seam of the door before continuing on. They’d put her to bed properly earlier, but he never could pass up the opportunity to tell her that he loved her. 

Making his way into Killer’s cabin he began to shed most of his clothes with ease, leaving them in a pile by the door on top of his boots. Stripped down to his boxers Kid finished by pulling his new goggles from his hair, being slightly more careful with those as he set them on the bedside table. Carefree with his comfort in his surroundings, Kid threw himself down onto Killer’s bed lightly and wiggled his way under the covers before turning to look at the other man.

Killer knew Kid’s clothes would be left in a pile by the door, so he didn’t bother waiting to watch the mess. He’d long since stopped trying to put them away; Kid got impatient if he took too long. Walking by his captain as he shed his outer layers, Killer made his way to the corner of his cabin, pulling off his shirt and hanging it up before stepping out of his boots and setting them against the wall. His pants followed and then, lastly, his mask. Killer settled it against the small shelf he’d build for the purpose of displaying it when it wasn’t in use. Which was usually only when Kid spent the night. That done, he turned and joined the other man in bed, elbowing him over to his own side.

With a playful grumble Kid moved to accommodate his second, wanting him in bed more than he wanted to fuck with him at this point. But the moment Killer slid under the covers he was fair game and, like always, had to manage finding a comfortable position of his own while Kid simultaneously tangled their limbs together in a way that suited the bulky redhead. When he was feeling affectionate Kid was clingy, wanting contact with Killer from shoulder to ankle and never being patient enough to wait for Killer to settle in first.

There was really nothing to be done other than to make himself as pliable as possible. Kid would get comfortable first and when he finally stilled Killer allowed his body to relax into the mattress. “...your elbow is in my ribs,” he grunted, readjusting Kid’s limbs slightly so he was able to really get comfortable. He sighed, feeling the tension of the day melting away. Somehow their problems always felt so nebulous when he was here, far away and unimportant. 

“Hm,” Kid’s only response came as a noncommittal grunt of acknowledgement, his head pillowing happily on Killer’s shoulder. These moments, right here like this, tangled up with Killer in the warmth of their ship, were perhaps the only moments he felt truly safe, like he could close his eyes and fall asleep and nothing could possibly go wrong. Something about sharing these intimate nights with Killer helped remind him that the world could be good.

Rubbing at his face absently, Killer closed his eyes and just let the warmth envelop him. “This all you had in mind, Captain? Or should I prepare myself?” Sometimes Kid liked to pounce on him and what was a nice, quiet, relaxing evening turned into a wrestling match. Not that the redhead would give him a heads up if that’s what he had in mind, but it was Killer’s way of letting Kid know he was up for whatever.

It took less than a second for Kid to decide on the answer to that, though again the response was nonverbal. Squeezing his arms tighter around Killer for a moment, Kid then relaxed and sank into the warmth of their shared bed just a little further, nuzzling the side of his face against Killer’s shoulder before stilling completely. He’d had enough, recently, of wrestling and vying for some sense of dominance with Law. This he just wanted to enjoy without hindrance.

Huffing out a laugh, Killer let his hand fall from the scarred ridges across the bridge of his nose, letting himself fully relax now that he knew Kid wasn’t planning anything. There were a few moments of peace before Killer chose to speak, “I’m a little surprised you agreed to settle down here so readily.”

The little sound Kid sent Killer’s way at the continued disturbance to his late night cuddles could only be described as a petulant huff. He took another moment to consider ignoring Killer’s comment all together before rolling his shoulders in a lazy shrug and cracking one eye open to look up at his companion from under a hooded lid, “So?”

“Maybe you’re growing up a little.” Though his tone was entirely serious, there was the slightest curve to his lips that Kid would recognize as a tease. A small part of him was worried he’d refuse if only so he could continue chasing after Trafalgar. Perhaps their most recent encounter had soured the redhead to the other captain, but Killer wasn’t holding his breath. The two of them seemed to be drawn to each other like magnets.

The answering scoff rang loud and clear as a rebuttal to that statement. Kid had no intention of growing up, if growing up meant turning in his freedom just to inhabit some scruffy piece of land. Putting together a base here would be temporary, a means to an end, better than just sailing aimlessly around the Grand Line and hoping they’d stumble onto the biggest secret of the century. But he also knew Killer knew all of that, so there was no need to voice it aloud. Lifting the hand he had slung across Killer’s waist, Kid smacked it down on his hip lazily, a demand he quit talking so they could both drift off in the peace of their arrangement. 

Amused, Killer patted Kid’s cheek before truly settling in to rest. It felt good to have an actual plan, a direction to move in. He’d felt like they’d been aimless since coming to the New World. 

The next morning seemed to arrive at a snail’s pace. Perhaps it was the lack of sleep that made it feel that way. Law was running on straight caffeine when he showed up for his meeting with Osera, the very tips of his fingers feeling like they were vibrating from the sheer amount of the stimulant he’d consumed. 

The man in question was waiting as promised, an eternal pose to the neighboring island and one to come back sitting on the table in front of him, where they could be seen but not snatched. He was watching Law with piercing eyes as he entered the establishment, somewhat suspicious even now. There were some ground rules he was going to have to lay out. “Sit,” he commanded, expecting to be obeyed without question. 

Picking up on the sense of mistrust permeating from the other man, Law held his hands out to his sides, palms forward, silently expressing that he was unarmed. Not that he needed to be armed to be dangerous but appearances were everything. He took the seat that was offered, spinning it around and straddling it as he sat. Crossing his arms over the back, Law rested his chin on the top of his crossed forearms and watched the other man with a spark of interest in his eyes. 

“Ground rules, Trafalgar Law,” as he began to speak, Osera put a certain emphasis on Law’s name that couldn’t be missed - he wanted it made clear he knew who he was dealing with. Picking up the first eternal pose he let it dangle from the wrist strap draped over one of his thick fingers, tantalizing in how close Law was to obtaining it, “You keep any mention of this family’s name out of your dirty business.”

“My business is the dirty one here?” Law asked, an exaggerated hand on his chest in a mockery of offense. “I’m just an honest doctor.” He didn’t bother trying to keep a straight face, lips splitting in a grin. “But I can agree to that. I don’t like sharing my reputation, anyway. Next.” 

Narrowing his eyes slightly at Law’s flip tone, Osera delayed his response for a moment to decide if the attitude he was getting was worth addressing. … Fucking with a member of the Worst Generation over his banter probably wasn’t worth the headache it would likely cause, he decided, so he moved onto more pressing matters, “That eternal pose is on loan, not a gift. You better check in every three days to keep its owners updated.”

“Sure thing. I won’t need it after this, anyway.” Drumming his fingers along the top of the chair, Law leaned back a little and considered the man across from him. “You know, I get the feeling you don’t like me much, so I’ll make this easy for you. I’m not here to cause trouble. I respect the power your family has built and this isn’t the island I’m out to fuck up. You help me with this, I’ll make this troublesome group disappear, we both walk away happy. So you can put away your scary face.”

Lacing his fingers together in front of himself, Osera let the heels of his hands fall heavy on the table, “You haven’t seen my scary face.” But Law’s words were… mollifying, if they were true. Only time would tell if that was the case or not. “And you won’t,” he continued then, eyes still locked on the man across from him, “If you do as you just said.”

“And I bet it’s absolutely terrifying,” Law replied flatly. “So, do we have a deal? Or do you require a contract signed in blood first?” As fun as fucking with this guy was, Law was starting to feel that familiar surge of energy that always followed whenever he was on the cusp of action. He was quickly growing impatient of being lectured by someone he didn’t even seek out for assistance. 

Clicking his tongue to signify his annoyance, Osera nonetheless finally slid the two eternal poses across the table, accompanied by the contact information for a particular den den mushi. “For your check ins,” he intoned, even though Law hadn’t prompted him for the information. This could be gold for the family and Osera just hoped the kid was smart and strong enough to actually pull it off.

Plucking the items from the table, Law tucked them away in his jacket and stood fluidly. “Sure thing, boss,” he replied with a cocky two fingered salute. “Talk to you in three days.” With that, he turned to leave. The deal was made and he didn’t really see much point in sticking around and dragging it out. 

Watching the punk go with distaste clear on his features, Osera crossed his arms for a moment as though it would make him feel better before telling the bartender to bring him a beer. It didn’t matter what time of day it was, dealing with a deranged Devil Fruit user who would willingly chop off his own hand always called for some alcohol.

The whole crew had already been preparing to leave as Law headed into town for his meeting with Osera. He knew they would be ready as soon as he boarded but as he approached the dock his gaze was drawn to the other ship anchored in port. With all the time he’d spent with his crew lately and the self reflection that came with it, Law knew he couldn’t just leave. 

As much as he wanted to just Shambles himself onto the deck of Kid’s ship, he figured a small show of manners would go far after their last encounter. That decided, he went to the edge of the gangplank and sighed internally when he saw it was Killer - so much for his hope this would be easy, “Go get your Captain.”

Looking down at Trafalgar with the distaste on his face clear as day - at least, to the inside of his helmet - Killer casually crossed his arms and regarded the other captain with a calm, steady stare. “I don’t take orders from you,” keeping his tone fairly neutral, Killer took a few steps down the gangplank nonetheless, a clear sign to Trafalgar he was being denied boarding, “so you wanna try that again?”

“Go get your Captain, please?” Law asked, lips curling in the most sarcastic smile he could muster. He didn’t much care what Kid’s first mate thought of him, though he did wonder just a little what the redhead had shared about their encounters with the tall blond. 

Killer pretended to consider the offer for a moment before shaking his head in response, “No.” Continuing his way down the gangplank, Killer didn’t stop until he was literally toe to toe with Trafalgar, though he kept any other intimidating body language to a minimum. He had been wanting to have a word with the man for a while now and who was he to look a gift horse in the mouth? He’d take the opportunity when it came, “You and me can have a conversation first.”

“Well, doesn’t that sound fun?” Law replied, his sarcastic grin falling into a barely restrained scowl. It took most of his willpower not to use his power to get past the other man, but he was trying not to make things more difficult between him and Kid. After all this time telling himself he should break things off, and here he was, trying to make amends. So much for acting based on logic. 

“Not really,” Killer was as dry as Trafalgar was disapproving and he was somewhat pleased to see he could get under the man’s skin at least a little, “but Kid’s mine. Ours. You don’t get him as easy as you think.” Killer knew better than to truly interfere - he wouldn’t either way, even if he’d truly believed Trafalgar was the most terrible thing that could happen to Kid, he’d just voice the concern but he’d never try to physically separate Kid from something he wanted. That didn’t mean he couldn’t throw up a few barriers and see if Trafalgar thought it was worth it to work through them.

Law wanted to argue that he wasn’t trying to take him away. That this wasn’t serious. But the words stuck in his throat and he narrowed his eyes instead, pausing for a moment before he spoke again. “Looks like someone needs to learn how to share.” It was a vague response, but it was something of an admittance that he did want Kid to himself, at least a little. 

“Only with people worth it,” rolling his head around on his neck, Killer considered the warmth of the sun on his back as he pondered the next thing to say. It was a temperate day, likely an easy one of information gathering and resupplying, and he wanted to ensure it stayed that way. For all that he could speak in half truths and innuendo when he wanted, at his core Killer was like his captain - blunt, direct, and to the point, “And I’m not sure you are. What game are you playing at?”

“If I was playing a game, I wouldn’t be here,” Law replied bluntly. He was uncomfortable admitting any feelings he had about Kid to himself, let alone to someone completely unrelated to the situation. “I’m burning daylight and I have somewhere to be. I have my own ways of getting his attention if you don’t intend to cooperate.”

Shrugging off Trafalgar’s words, Killer held his ground, “I know I can’t keep you, don’t make threats.” But even this, the fact that Trafalgar was engaging with him, didn’t just use his power to circumvent things all together, spoke to Killer. Told him that maybe there was a little respect under that sneer and the barbed words, “He’s important. He doesn’t have time for distractions or assholes, other than to break their faces. If that’s what you are, I’ll make sure you wind up mangled as soon as possible.” That said, Killer turned on his heel and headed back up the gangplank, knowing that Kid would be pissed at him if he said too much or ran Trafalgar off, “You can wait down there.” 

In spite of the threat, Law couldn’t help but respect Killer for his defense of his captain. His crew would do the same for him - had done the same for him, recently. It was oddly kind of nice to see that Kid’s crew cared about him so much, though he couldn’t put his finger on why. There wasn’t anything left to say, so Law remained quiet as he watched the blond retreat back aboard the ship.

Approximately six minutes later Kid appeared at the railing, a faint scowl on his face and his hands held out in front of him, fingers spread wide as he moved. It was a peculiar manner to affect, but as he looked down at Law and then began to descent the gangplank, Law could see why - all the nails on his right hand were painted while only three on his left were complete, and the polish on all of them glistened in a way that made it clear they were still wet. As he made the edge of the dock Kid’s expression gentled somewhat, though it was still a bit guarded - he hadn’t dropped all his barriers from their last encounter yet, “... this is a surprise.”

At first, Law thought Kid was using his power. It was the only reason he could think of for the splayed fingers held out in front of him, but once he saw the glistening of wet paint he cracked a grin. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to interrupt your important work,” he teased, nodding in the direction of Kid’s hands.

“Yeah,” Kid shot back immediately, gaze stern, “don’t do it again.” But his demeanor wasn’t so stiff that he was unwelcoming. Choosing to lean back against one of the support piers his ship was lashed to Kid tried - and failed - at finding a way to cross his arms without ruining the paint job. A disgruntled huff found him lacing his fingers together in front of him to at least give him something to rest his fingertips against before he spoke, “You’ve never done this before.”

“What, bothered you while you were busy doing something on your ship? I think your memory may be faulty.” He knew that wasn’t what Kid meant, but it was more comfortable to keep a deeper conversation at bay for the time being. Law got the impression that Kid wasn’t furious with him, but he wanted to set sail before the Calico pirates left their home base so there wasn’t as much time as he would have liked to have an honest conversation. 

“Been polite about it,” the counter was easy enough and Kid was interested to see where Law planned to go with this conversation. Having announced himself, rather than just deciding to get on board without anybody’s say so was vastly different from how Law usually happened to operate but Kid found he was grateful for it - a sign of the other man realizing something had changed their last night together? Maybe.

Law shrugged a little, letting his arms fall to his sides from their crossed position. He kept putting himself in awkward situations he would usually avoid at all costs for Kid’s sake, and he hesitated before forcing the words out; he was here, he might as well say what he came to say. “...I’m leaving the island for a few days.” The log pose here wouldn’t record for another day and a half, so Kid would know it was an unusual circumstance.

That caught Kid’s attention, his interest immediately obvious in the way he stood up a little straighter and narrowed his gaze, “Where do you plan on going without a new record in your log pose?” _Secondly, why are you coming to tell me?_ but that question he kept to himself, beginning to mull over the reasons for it in his own head.

“I have a few tricks of my own,” Law replied, his expression smug as he flashed the eternal pose that had been given to him. He had considered inviting Kid along; after all, the Calico pirates had been involved in locating and transporting the women and children he had worked to free on Rocky Port. But Law’s purpose for going after them wasn’t likely to be looked upon with approval by the other captain - none of the Worst Generation had a reason to appreciate the Shichibukai. 

Huffing out a snort of a laugh through his nose, Kid just shook his head, “Look at you.” Coming up with an eternal pose was never an easy feat and although he was curious, Kid knew better than to ask where it led to - it was none of his business. “So you’re here to say goodbye,” it wasn’t meant to be a question, at least not yet, but in the end Kid couldn’t help but reach for a more definitive answer, “forever, or just for a while?

Yet again, Kid reminded him of why Law couldn’t seem to just walk away from the other captain; there was an unspoken understanding between them that he couldn’t help but appreciate. He nodded a little in agreement with his statement. “I’m coming back. I shouldn’t be too long, so I’ll probably catch up to you at the next island.” He didn’t expect Kid to wait for him, but he’d miss the island hopping they’d been doing together.

Hearing that from Law released tension in Kid’s chest he hadn’t even realized he was holding. Though he’d been fairly certain Law hadn’t intended to just fuck him and forget him, there had been this nagging doubt in the back of his mind until, well… right now. Nodding in acknowledgement, Kid was quiet for a moment before he spoke, “I’m not stumbling around the New World blind. We’re gonna set up a base on a satellite island somewhere around here.”

“Oh,” Law couldn’t hide the surprise in his tone, which he quickly turned to amusement, “how responsible of you.” It wasn’t a bad idea. He’d been going non-stop since Minion Island but until he learned if his gamble with becoming a Shichibukai paid off it wouldn’t make sense to keep moving ever closer to Dressrosa. He was a little annoyed Kid had thought of building a temporary base before he did.

Kid wasn’t one for hogging the glory, at least not when it came to his crew. His shrug was casual as he responded, “Killer’s idea.” But it was a good one and he wanted to see how Yara took to it - if she liked having a consistent piece of land to call her home, instead of just the ship, he was going to have to take a long, hard look at how to balance his goals with her needs.

“Ah. Well, that makes more sense,” joking aside, he’d said what he came to say. Law shifted his weight, fingers fidgeting at his side. This is why he didn’t bother with relationships outside of his crew. They were messy and awkward. “...I guess I’ll see you when I get back, then.”

“Heh,” Kid’s posture had loosened considerably at this point, something about this interaction making him feel like it was safe to move past what had almost been their catastrophic ending. Stepping closer to Law he reached out with the hand only half painted, figuring that he could deal with Yara scolding him if he only ruined some of the nails, rather than all of them. It was all a quick flurry of movement from there, his fingers tangling in the hair at the nape of Law’s neck to pull his head back and expose the other man to Kid’s eager, skillful mouth. 

The kiss the redhead pressed to Law’s lips then was searing, far warmer than the morning sun, and the grip he held possessive. Kid couldn’t care less for the dockworkers making their way about their business, didn’t notice any wayward looks shot their way or mumbled curses about their current situation. All he felt was the way wrapping his tongue around Law’s in this kind of forceful back and forth electrified him, made him aware of all the other points of contact between them. 

He didn’t pull back until they were both starved for air and he’d left Law’s lower lip red and swollen from the attention. “I expect you to come find me,” the way he spoke, Kid realized almost belatedly that it was an order, not a request, though his tone made that abundantly clear for the other man. Finally untangling his hand from Law’s hair Kid grinned, knowing from the state of his nails he had left a stubborn stain marring the back of Law’s neck. Damn, but Kid felt like he’d just received a brand new burst of energy.

The kiss was sudden and unexpected, though not as unwelcome as it had been the first time. Law fumbled in his response, half trying to pull away on instinct and half trying to kiss back with the same ferocity. Not that he managed either, being as unskilled in it as he was. He did succeed in holding onto Kid’s arms as though he’d fall otherwise; the suddenness of it all was almost overwhelming. 

When Kid pulled back and gave his order, Law breathed in harshly and broke into a toothy grin. “I don’t take orders from anyone,” he replied once he’d been released, stepping back out of Kid’s range before he could try to pull him back in. The coy expression he wore gave the impression he was being just that before he turned around to board his own ship.

That made Kid chuckle, but Law’s words held no threat and Kid felt no need to respond. He knew that if Law had cared enough to come around and say goodbye he’d come back around sooner or later. The certainty he felt in that though buoyed him as he made his way back aboard his ship, feeling like he had some sense of certainty in this thing with Law making everything else seem easier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We have more art from[ Akimao!](http://akimao.tumblr.com/post/183299065281/i-expect-you-to-come-find-me-middle-fingers) I adore the addition of smug Law and disapproving Killer. <3 


	18. *Want What You Want

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys are the best. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for every comment, kudo, and minute you spend reading our work. We love this story and we have such grand plans for it and I don't know that we'd ever make it to the end without you.

The lookouts were easy targets. They were built like Kid; tall and muscular but lacking his awareness and skill. Law dealt with them almost before they could even cry out. The last one drew some attention, though, but that only served to draw out the rest of the crew. The Heart Pirates had surrounded the compound that the Calico crew used as their base and Jean Bart and Shachi managed to pick off two that attempted to run to the dock for the backup that was waiting on the ships. 

The main force of the pirates were in said compound, meeting with the smugglers and human traffickers they partnered with. Law had called to check in that morning - having taken three days to reach the island - and Osera had provided some helpful intelligence on where they could be found. They weren’t all pushovers; some were Devil Fruit users. Mostly Zoan types acting as muscle, but considering his mastery over the location of everything within his Room there was very little actual threat.

It took less than 12 hours to collect the hearts of the Calico pirates and their associates. There were only eighty seven in total, between the lookouts, the hired guards presumably there as extra insurance after the incident at Rocky Port , the various associates gathered to plan their next steps, and actual Calico Pirate crew themselves. Law had been hoping for a nice, round one hundred, but eighty seven was a solid start. He was sure he would find another thirteen one way or another. 

He didn’t see much point checking back in with Osera; they’d be back in the next three days as long as the weather held anyway. It was late by the time they’d completed their mission and Penguin had broken his leg trying to stop one of the Zoan users from cracking Ikkaku over the head with a lamp. Law was able to repair the break but he couldn’t take away the pain. Of course, being human traffickers and a pirate crew to boot, the Calico crew had plenty of drugs on hand that would numb Penguin to his entire world, if need be.

Deciding they had all earned a break, Law didn’t rush his crew back to their ship. The compound was well stocked with everything needed to have a good time and - after he let the “painkillers” take effect for Penguin - he gave them free rein to take advantage of the situation they found themselves in.

That was why, approximately forty five minutes later, Penguin decided he was feeling mighty fine and Ikkaku was looking exceedingly sweet. Stumbling around a bit like a drunkard, but a really determined one, Penguin made his haphazard way to the table the apple of his eye was currently occupying, wiggling in between her and another crew member until the latter took the hint and made space for him. “Ikkaku,” he began, giving her his best possible smile, “you’re really pretty when you’re breaking skulls, you know.”

While she would usually give him a hard time, Ikkaku couldn’t help but feel a little indulgent considering he’d gotten injured to protect her. She usually hated whenever anyone attempted to defend her when it was unnecessary, but she could be grateful for the assistance in the moments it was really needed. Resting her chin in her hand, she considered him for a moment before smiling slightly. “Yeah? I think those painkillers the Captain gave you might be messing with your vision.” 

At that Penguin emphatically, aggressively shook his head, so hard it almost hurt, “No way! I always think that about you!” The smile he gave her was a little dopy, to be sure, but also completely genuine. Doing his best to be polite Penguin kept his hands to himself, though he leaned in as close to her as he could without being too creepy, “I really like you, you know.”

Sighing, Ikkaku let her arms fall so she could lean in as well, reaching out to brush her fingers against his cheek. “I know you do.” Maybe it was a little unfair to push him away for the sole reason of her own reputation. The crew was her family and they only occasionally gave her shit for being the only woman among them. They wouldn’t think less of her because she decided to date one of them; she’d proven her worth already. 

The way her words made him light up were akin to a tiny sun bursting into life in the room “You do?” Sounding so honored and hopeful at the same time, Penguin leaned into her touch eagerly, reaching out to tentatively touch her wrist. “I…” and just as quick as his joy brightened the room it dimmed, turning bashful and a little embarrassed, “... wish you liked me too…”

“I do like you. I like everyone on the crew.” As soon as she said it, Ikkaku frowned; that wasn’t what he meant and she knew it and it was only out of habit that she tried to pretend things between them were just platonic. He’d certainly been winning her over lately and there was a difference between how she felt about him and how she felt about the others. “But I… I do, Peng.” In spite of herself, she felt her cheeks warm as she looked down at the table.

Being more than a little high made Penguin both slow on the uptake and easily prone to emotion. As familiar as they were to him, the only thing that registered was Ikkaku’s initial deflection and his face fell even further, though he did his best to hide the tears that suddenly streaked over his vision. “I… ‘m sorry, Ikka…” he should have taken the hint a long time ago, shouldn’t he? He was just being a nuisance, harassing her when she just wanted to be left alone and she was too kind to tell him that, “... I’ll stop…”

Chagrined and a little taken aback, Ikkaku started questioning herself. What was really holding her back? Some random notion that somehow admitting that she liked Penguin would make her weak in the eyes of her crew? They knew she could hold her own. They knew she belonged here. She’d been around long enough that it didn’t matter if she had feelings for one of them. It wasn’t her sole purpose. 

Penguin had been so kind to her; he had maybe gotten a bit eager sometimes but he always respected her boundaries. He deserved better than her constantly jerking him around. Standing suddenly, she moved resolutely, ignoring the rest of the crew she knew was watching. Kneeling in front of him, she reached out to lift his chin before just leaning in and kissing him, prying eyes be damned. 

The squeak that escaped Penguin at this sudden turn of events was so startled and so loud it was audible throughout the entire room, perhaps the closest to a mouse any of them had ever heard him sound. But even as the tips of his ears colored red he sank into Ikkaku’s hold like it was a warm bath, relaxing and welcoming and entirely desired, his hands shooting up, startled, to grab at her upper arms. He wasn’t an elegant kisser sober, much less high, but he made up for it with sheer eagerness, displayed in the sweet way he opened himself up for her and molded to her movement.

The kiss was short but sweet in how eager and pleased Penguin clearly was. He didn’t try to overpower her, just took what she gave and was clearly grateful for it. As she pulled back, Ikkaku kept her face close to Penguin’s, catching his gaze. “I don’t think you heard me earlier, Peng. I said I like you, too.”

Her words were barely audible in the sudden uproar of applause and cheers from the rest of the crew, who had all stopped what they were doing to watch. Most of them were expecting to see the first mate get laid out again by the spitfire Ikkaku had come to be known as. But when that didn’t happen, even Law found himself caught up in the applause. 

His whole face going slack in surprise, Penguin met Ikkaku’s gaze without even trying to hide how misty her words had made his eyes this time. Voice a tentative, nervous tenor he had to question her, as though he was unsure he’d heard correctly, “You… you like me too? Like… like I like you?” Had he been fully sober, Penguin would have been humiliated at how childish and pathetic that sounded but right now he just wanted nothing more than to hear her reassure him that that’s what she meant.

Laughing, Ikkaku stood up and reclaimed her seat next to Penguin. “I just kissed you. Whatever the Captain gave you must have been strong to forget it so quickly,” she teased, doing her best to ignore the hooting and hollering of the crew that was continuing on far longer than it needed to. Apparently no one had gotten into the good stuff to find something more entertaining than her private conversation.

Still almost comically unable to stop his every thought from flickering across his face, Penguin’s expression changed to one of almost unbridled panic, “I would never forget that, Miss Ikkaku! It was the sweetest gift I’ve ever gotten!” So flattered and eager to have her sitting next to him, Penguin reached out to sweep up one of her hands in both of his, clenching it fervently, “You’re unforgettable!”

Law, who had gotten into the first bottle of the good stuff he’d come across, leaned into Shachi and gestured at the pair in the center of the room. “Looks like all it took for him to be successful was some heroics and a broken leg,” he commented, wearing his usual grin of amusement as he watched the two lean in to speak quietly. Being drugged, Penguin was a little louder than he meant to be so they caught one-sided snippets of conversation still.

Though Shachi was usually game for teasing his crew mates, he had a soft spot for Ikkaku. He knew how hard she fought to be taken seriously and he didn’t want to play lightly with that, “Or maybe it was finally bein’ sweet instead of just hitting on her all the time. Ikka’s not that easy.” He was pleasantly buzzed, his tone considerate instead of reprimanding as he returned the physical affection his captain was sharing by leaning into him in turn.

Law agreed with a nod, bringing the bottle back to his lips to take a drink, thoughtful as he watched them. “I know that.” Throughout the years, especially since Penguin had been pursuing her, Law had had a few brief conversations with Ikkaku. He knew she wanted to be taken seriously, that she put her status as a crew member above anything else, and that she didn’t want to risk being seen as nothing more than a lover. He felt a kind of kinship with her for that, but seeing her come to the realization that she could have it both ways after such a long time struggling with whether or not it was feasible also sparked a feeling of possibility in him. 

“But… ‘nothing wrong with bein’ happy as we do our work,” Shachi opined, turning his head slightly to look at Law. “S’what we want for everyone, y’know?” the inquiry came gently, as though Shachi was trying to make a point without being too blatant about it. Pleasantly buzzed, Shachi took this moment to revel in a quiet moment alone with his boss, tongue loosening a little from the alcohol, “Just with the right people, is all.”

With a sigh, Law shook his head before downing another swig of the bottle he’d swiped. “Not very subtle,” he muttered, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and then shoving the bottle in Shachi’s direction in the same movement. He was just coming to terms with this idea that maybe he could have both; now was maybe not the best time to actually discuss it.

Grimacing - had he really been that obvious about it - Shachi cursed himself inwardly and took another swig of drink. He’d been trying to play it smooth, didn’t want to ruin the mood with his captain. He just wanted to… make sure Law knew the crew wanted what was best for him and his happiness, too. Deciding to drop the subject, Shachi looked across the room to where three of their fellow crew members were currently occupied doing a keg stand, “... Captain, I bet you’d be _awesome_ at that!”

The sudden change of subject made it clear that Shachi was uncomfortable continuing the conversation and as Law took in the antics of his crew the competitive side of him sparked. He was already a little giddy from their victory and the alcohol and having already decided to be more open in spending time with the crew Shachi’s words were all the encouragement he needed. “I guess we’ll find out,” he replied as he crossed the room, Clione and Uni whooping as they realized their Captain was intending to join them.

The next morning dawned bright and early, but the Heart Pirates were not awake to greet it. The bulk of the crew didn’t rouse until almost noon, drawn to consciousness only by the scent of their dedicated cook helping himself to the larder once again and frying up some wonderful smelling breakfast. Or lunch, whatever. But for all that most of them were hungover they could still be efficient when needed and so the whole crew was fed, watered, repacked onto the Polar Tang by two. Leaving behind nothing of importance, just the eighty or so Calico Pirates that Law had stripped of their only valuable asset, the submarine turned back to sea and set to following the eternal pose back to the island they’d come from. 

Although Law knew his first order of business upon their arrival should have been to return the eternal poses and report on a job well done, he’d made up his mind during the night spent at the Calico Pirate’s compound. Even through his drunken haze, something about Ikkaku’s acceptance of Penguin’s pursuit had been inspiring given their similar struggles with having both a lover and a pursuing a goal. It had been on his mind since that night and all through the three day trip back and remained front and center when the island came into view.

They surfaced as they passed near the dock they’d been at previously and when Kid’s ship was nowhere to be seen Law knew that meant he’d found the satellite island he intended to use as his base of operations. Based on the map Bepo had gotten his paws on, the majority of the smaller islands offshore were clustered on the Northeast side, which was where he directed the crew before they could start heading into the harbor.

Looking vaguely suspicious - or as suspicious as his facial structure would let him, anyway - Bepo turned to question Law even as he immediately began to follow the order, “What’s going on, Captain?” Drawl slow and measured, Bepo tilted his head to the side as he waited for a response - they all knew that Law had to return the eternal poses, so this felt like an odd move.

Law answered with a slight shrug and a vague smile. “There’s another port I’d prefer to dock at,” he replied simply, moving to the prow of the ship to keep an eye out for whichever island was the right one. It took a few hours to make their way to northeastern side of the island, but Law felt a surge of energy when he saw the tiny clusters of land that stood roughly a quarter of a mile away from the mainland. 

Even when acting as a traditional ship, the Polar Tang still had underwater portholes that the crew used for spotting - they’d avoided more than one mine and at least three Sea Kings that way. It was Clione’s duty spot for the time being and it had been a completely uneventful trip so far, but the moment they sailed within three hundred yards of the island cluster something horrendously disturbing started popping up along the seabed. With a yelp the boiler suit clad crew member darted topside, scrambling to find Law, “Captain, Captain! I-I think you should see this!”

Hesitant to pull away, Law nonetheless turned to face Clione, hoping that whatever it was was quick; he wanted to be the first one to spot Kid’s ship. “Think I should see what, Clione? Everything looks normal up here.” Clione was far from the jumpiest member of the crew, so the fact that he looked shaken up wasn’t exactly the best sign.

“Um,” taking a deep breath, the flustered man forced himself to get his act together and behave more like a grown adult than a frightened child. (Not that it meant he wasn’t frightened anymore, just that he was going to pretend otherwise.) Swallowing hard with a sharp nod to encourage his voice, Clione responded with a level voice, “There is a forest of severed limbs floating in the ocean, sir. They seem to be anchored to the seafloor by chain.”

Narrowing his eyes, Law studied Clione’s expression for a moment before he stepped forward, leaving the prow altogether. “Show me,” he directed, though he didn’t wait for the other man to take the lead, heading below deck to see what he could through the portholes. There were more than one set of footsteps that followed him; Clione’s panic seemed to have been noticed.

It was dark below deck, the lights near the portholes dimmed so they couldn’t glare against the windows and make it impossible to see. The ship had moved closer since Clione had first spotted the grisly sight so the forest of body parts was nearly close enough to touch had he been able. Bringing his hand up to the porthole, Law watched as an arm on level with his own floated into the glass, the palm dragging against the surface briefly before it was knocked away, bobbing ominously on the chain that anchored it.

Far from being put off by the sight, Law felt a laugh bubbling up in his throat. The hand that had wandered past was missing all but the middle finger, surrounded by the knotted, bloody stumps of the other four digits. “This isn’t a warning, it’s an invitation,” he explained, filing past those of his crew who had followed him down. “The island we’re looking for is on the other end of this. Clione, direct Bepo through the transponder snail.”

If crickets had been one of the inhabitants of the Polar Tang, they would have been the most appropriate sound to accompany the otherwise dead silent, open mouthed stares some of his crew members were giving Law. Still a little disquieted, Clione nonetheless moved to obey the order, taking his seat up again and reaching for the transponder snail. It was Penguin who finally spoke for the group, watching Law with more than a little trepidation, “... that’s a really weird invitation, Captain…”

“Is it?” Law paused then, turning to look at his first mate over his shoulder with a grin that looked a little unsettling considering the grisly discovery they were still sailing through. The soft thud of a shin bobbing into the glass filled the silence until Law spoke again. “I think it’s kind of romantic.”

Again, a stunned silence and some owlish blinking greeting Law’s comment. The crew had always known there was something off about their captain but it was an unusual occurrence to see it play out quite like this. It was finally Ikkaku that stepped forward, putting on a brave face for the rest of them, “Of course, Captain. Why don’t we go back on deck, watch where we’re headed from there.”

Law was aware Ikkaku and Penguin were walking on eggshells a bit, clearly put off by his obvious glee over the limbs swaying up from the sea floor, but he didn’t care. He’d made a decision after weeks of uncertainty and Kid obviously had moved on from his little faux pas after their night together. Nightmare fuel or not, it was a good sign. His only response to Ikkaku was a nod, already heading back up to the deck. 

Breathing out a sigh of relief, Ikkaku gathered her fellow crew and shepherded them back upstairs, shooting Clione a look of apology for being the one that had to stay and give direction. She felt better once they reached the open air of the deck again, though if she was careful to stay away from the railings just in case, well… that was her choice.

The line of body parts led them between two islands, then curved up toward the northern end of the one to their left. It led to a small inlet hidden from view of mainland. There was no formal dock; the ocean gradually became shallower and shallower until it gave way to a sandy beach back lit by the silhouette of a forest. By all accounts, it was a lovely little island but the sight of the Kid Pirates' ship was what had all of Law’s attention. “Drop anchor here,” he directed to whoever was closest.

Though his crew obeyed without argument, some of them also moving to furl the sail and otherwise prepare to harbor, it was clear in his upper ranks that they weren’t thrilled about this new development. Not that they didn’t want Law to be happy, but this whole thing seemed suspect and it showed on their faces. 

Law wasn’t so distracted he couldn’t sense their trepidation. Turning his back to shore, he addressed those that were on deck with him. “Stay here for now. I’ll go first and signal when it’s safe to join me.” They were all still uncertain of Kid so he would just have to show them there was nothing to fear from the other crew. If the redhead wanted him here, he had to know that meant his crew would need to feel welcome as well. 

“Whoa, hang on!” that voice belonged to Shachi, a strained grin on his face as he reached for Law. Shaking his head he strove to keep his tone jovial, like this was a completely normal trip into port, “You don’t want to go alone. We don’t want you to go alone. That’s lonely! I’ll go with you.” He was so earnest, it hurt.

“Captain’s orders,” Law replied with a little grin of his own. Before anyone could try to stop him, he pushed the boundaries of his Room to extend to shore, wiggling his fingers at Shachi in a pseudo wave before he transported himself to the beach. Even if they tried to follow him, they would either have to swim or take the time to lower the row boats to carry themselves to shore. There should be a few minutes of peace, at least, before he had a frantic crew to settle. Tucking his hands into his pockets, Law followed the packed earth trail that had been cleared from the beach up into the sparse forest.

“Captain, NO!” the shout could be heard clear across the water, a conglomeration of at least three voices, but none of them strong enough to bring Law back. The forest, as it surrounded him, was calming. Birdsong could be heard in the air, light making mottled patches on the ground as it filtered through the foliage above. All in all, it was an idyllic walk as Law made his way further inland. It wasn’t until fifteen minutes later, when he was well out of sight from the beach, that the trail came to a dead stop with no further indication of the proper way to proceed.

The trees didn’t grow very thick near the beach, but the further inland he went the tighter they were interwoven until the branches overhead were those of multiple interconnected tree limbs. Pausing on the path, Law held his breath for a moment to try and hear anything that could indicate the correct direction to move in; the sounds of men shifting, building shelter, voices... but there was nothing but the call of birds and the rustling of leaves. Far from being discouraged, Law raised his hand to summon his Room, the boundaries of which he was working on expanding every day. There would be something in that space that would give him an idea of where to go next, he was certain of it.

“Ah, ah,” this time, the voice that chided him wasn’t trying to hide the fact, “not on my island.” Stepping out from the cover of a centuries old tree, Kid laughed, casual as he leaned back against it and crossed his arms. He was dressed in his usual pants and waist sash, but he’d left the coat behind, so his bare chest was exposed to the dappled light from the sun, except where his bandoleer blocked the view. The look on his face was pure pleasure, satisfaction that ran so deep it was as though he’d had a core belief validated right in front of him, “I knew you’d do as you were told.”

Letting his arm fall, Law turned to face Kid head on. There was no hiding the path his eyes took as they roamed over the musculature of his chest and arms to the point where they crossed before pointedly moving lower. Standing his ground, Law smirked and planted Kikoku against the earth before leaning on it slightly. “I never do what I’m told. Only what I want.”

The grin on Kid’s face widened at that, turning even more predatory, “I like hearing that you want me.” After letting him take a good, long look Kid pushed off the tree and stepped forward, moving to stand in front of Law. It was with deliberate, clear intention that he reached out then, caressing the dip of Law’s waist with one hand before trailing down to spread his palm over the other man’s hip. In an almost unconscious display of possession, Kid flexed his fingers so tight the grip was almost punishing, little pinpricks of pain against Law’s skin at each contact point.

Unfazed, Law relaxed into the grip, kept one arm curled around his sword so it didn’t fall, and let the other come to rest on Kid’s stomach. He could feel the press of his abdomen against his palm with each breath; it had been a shame he didn’t take the time to really pay attention to the redhead’s sculpted body when he had the chance. That would have to be remedied. “I saw your present,” he began, changing the topic so it was slightly more in his favor. “A normal ship would never have noticed. You went out of your way for that.” Law grinned wider, flashing his teeth. “Who wants who more?”

The laugh that escaped Kid then was rich and short, more of a bark than anything, “All I did was lay the trail. You followed it.” Not that it mattered, really - Law was right, Kid wanted him here, wanted to see him again, wanted to keep interacting with the psycho surgeon who somehow managed to captivate his attention like nobody else had ever come close to. Kid used his free hand to tilt Law’s chin up then, study his eyes for a moment before speaking, “You wanna go any further, you’re gonna have to trust me.”

Tugging away from the guiding fingers, Law dipped his head down to bite at Kid’s hand, catching his thumb in the process. He didn’t break skin, intending to just playfully remind the other man that he didn’t like being told what to do - with words or otherwise. That done, he looked up of his own accord, mirth sparkling in his eyes as they glinted in the sun. “I think I can manage that.”

“Heh. Good,” that said, Kid reluctantly dropped his grip on Law’s hip, reaching for the bright blue sash wound around his own and deftly pulling it away until the soft fabric pooled in his hands, “Keep your Room thing off, got it?” He knew it was daft enough to let Law know where this island sat to begin with, he wasn’t going to walk him right up to the front door of their new HQ without some protection. It was then he lifted the sash in offering, watching Law for a moment to ensure the other man understood what he was doing before he began to wind it over Law’s eyes, a perfectly functional makeshift blindfold.

Law had anticipated this and stood perfectly still as the fabric twisted over his eyes and around the back of his head. “You know, this is a bit overkill for a blindfold,” he commented, the fabric thick enough that it pooled down over his nose as well. “I could have just popped my eyes out for you. They’d fit in a pocket pretty easily.” Though he couldn’t see Kid’s face he felt his movements pause and could imagine the disturbed expression. Perhaps it was a bit of payback for unsettling his crew so much earlier.

Huffing his displeasure at that idea under his breath, Kid just shook his head, proceeded to make sure the blindfold was double thick to ensure no chance of Law seeing anything before tying it off, and then bent forward slightly at the waist. It was quick work from there to catch Law around the hips and toss him over his right shoulder, arm coming across Law’s outside thigh to rest the open palm of that hand firmly across his ass. Just that alone was enough to put a little grin on Kid’s face; he enjoyed manhandling Law because he knew Law enjoyed being manhandled.

The sudden feeling of being lifted off his feet caused Law to wobble just a little, grunting slightly as he was thrown over Kid’s shoulder. The sound quickly gave way to a chuckle, though, feeling surprisingly secure considering his position. He certainly didn’t mind where Kid’s hand had come to rest either and he carefully tucked his sword in the crook of his arm before mimicking the other man by resting the palms of his own hands on either side of Kid’s ass. “Lead the way, Captain.”

Another soft chuckle escaped Kid as his cargo settled in for the ride - he couldn’t help but be amused at Law’s very deliberate placement of his hands. Heading off the end of the trail and deeper into the forest the redhead navigated carefully, avoiding the traps he and his crew had set and deftly wending through an otherwise completely unmarked path. He’d been deliberate in choosing this location and this was part of the reason why - the spot they’d chosen to settle in wasn’t visible from air, ocean, or trail. 

Unsurprisingly, Kid’s shoulder wasn’t the most comfortable place to hang out, but occasionally squeezing his ass and just generally feeling the movement of his muscles beneath his palms was a decent enough distraction. Not that he hadn’t already known, but Kid was well built and feeling him was much more fun than just looking at him. After what had to have been about twenty five minutes, Law pushed himself up so his head was more on level with the other captain’s. “Are you just walking me in circles and waiting to see how long I’ll let you do it?”

At basically that precise moment, Kid tipped Law back to rights, gently dropping the other man back onto his own two feet, “No, I’m walking your scrawny ass around traps that would maim you otherwise.” That said he began to gently unwind the sash, placing it back around his own hips as he pulled it away from Law’s face. Above them soared an impressive cavern, dark but for the light of the torches suspended from the walls, populated with portions of Kid’s crew hard at work still building tables, chairs, beds, and other sundry goods from the sturdy wood of the forest outside. 

Stretching out the kinks in his back, Law took in the vast amount of work they’d already completed. “I was hardly gone a week. You don’t waste time, do you?” Not everyone on Kid’s crew was built like him but most of them were. A few spared him a glance as they worked on hammering together the pieces of furniture necessary for a long term stay but were either too busy or too wary of his presence to say anything. “If my crew follows behind me, is there going to be anything stopping their scrawny asses from getting maimed?”

“Nope,” Kid responded with aplomb, shrugging like Law should already know the answer to that, “you wanna call and tell them that?” There were signs up, to be fair, warning people away. The question was whether or not his crew would obey them. But, there was a transponder snail sitting along one wall, blinking quietly at its surroundings; Kid didn’t care if Law decided to use it. 

Law hesitated just a moment before he made his way over to it. “I told them not to, but I don’t think they appreciated your gift as much as I did,” he explained before gently picking up the snail and tapping the numbers that would connect him to the baby transponder snail Penguin always carried with him.

The responding snail picked up before even one ring could be completed, Penguin’s voice coming through loud and clear on the other end, “Captain!? Where are you, the trail just ended and there’s no sign of you and you can’t just go wandering into uncharted territory on your own, how are we supposed to protect you if we don’t know where you are!?” It all came out as one breathless concerned demand, Penguin panting to catch his breath as he waited for a response.

“If you had stayed on the ship like I told you to, you wouldn’t be having this crisis, would you? There are traps in the woods, so go back to the ship so you don’t get hurt again. I don’t think Ikkaku would forgive me if something happened to your other leg.” Perhaps it was a bit too soon to use her against him, but Law was hoping Penguin’s urge to stay on her good side would keep him from making a stupid decision. 

Penguin’s responding - almost offended - huff rang clear through the line but when he spoke a few minutes later it was with the most level tone he could muster, “Captain, I really hope you get how concerning it is for you to run off into another one of the Worst Generation’s arms without a plan, back up, or any sense of self preservation!” 

“Peng. I can handle myself. If I needed any of those things I would have brought you with me. I have nothing to fear from Eustass. Go back to the ship. I’ll be back soon.” Law hoped speaking in short, precise sentences would help punctuate the fact that he was fine. How many times had his crew seen him hanging around with Kid and how many times had there been cause for worry? They’d have to learn to trust in his more risky plans now, otherwise his intention of going to Dressrosa alone would never work.

Taking a deep breath, Penguin held it in for a minute before finally releasing it in a stream through his nose, “You keep saying that, Captain, but you’ve never done anything to really show us it’s true.” But he wasn’t going to argue beyond that, a despondent little sigh escaping him, “I’ll make sure the crew is busy until you return. Are you going to be nice enough to let us know when to expect you back?”

The sudden clenching feeling in his chest was unpleasant and Law couldn’t quite place what it was right away. Penguin filled the silence before he could pushed it down and respond, though, so Law focused on that. “Two hours, at most.” He almost left it at that, but something made him continue, almost in a rush in case Penguin had been about to disconnect the line. “I’m safe, Peng. I promise.”

“I hope so,” the response came almost forlorn and for the first time in his life, Penguin felt like one of his best friends, the man he respected more than anybody else in the world, was slipping away from him. “Bye, Captain,” the click of the call ending seemed to echo through the cavern, though all the Kid Pirates and even Kid himself had kept enough of a distance to avoid being able to overhear anything. For his part Kid was back to lounging against one of the walls, making small talk with Killer as the blonde worked on constructing a fire pit and Kid watched Law from a distance.

It was more than just worry that laced Penguin’s tone; he’d actually sounded _sad._ This was one of the downsides of letting himself get close to his crew, he supposed; Law had never felt guilty for doing what he felt was necessary before, no matter how much it made them worry. But he had meant it when he said he wasn’t in danger. Kid had earned that much trust from him by now. Setting the snail back where it was, Law joined Kid and Killer with a smile plastered over the simmering sense of guilt gnawing its way up his throat. “Good to see you again, Killer,” he greeted with only a fraction of his usual sarcasm.

“Can’t say the same,” the droll response came lightning fast and as calmly as if Killer had been remarking on the weather. Kid’s response came with a roll of his eyes and a comment on Killer’s rudeness before he turned to Law fully, looked him over once, and then promptly picked him up again in a mimicry of earlier that day. It was a much shorter journey, this time, Kid moving about halfway down the cavern before slipping into the offshoot cave that was currently serving him as a bedroom. 

There was a hammock strung across one portion, a pile of pillows and blankets in one corner, and a lantern resting on the floor, but other than that the room was empty - Kid wouldn’t get himself a bed and all the other accouterments of comfortable living until the rest of the crew had theirs. That was how it always worked; Yara first, Kid last, everyone else in between. He wasn’t about to change it now. Kid lightly tossed Law into the nest of pillows then, kneeling over his thighs in quick succession and pinning him in as his eyes searched Law’s face, still for a moment before one hand reached up to trace a line along the other man’s jaw, slow and gentle and almost, if one wanted to believe it, sweet. That sensation was only amplified by how quiet Kid was through it all.

Killer was left standing alone with only Law’s echoing laughter as company. Law wished he could see through the mask, see if the blond man was jealous or simply exasperated by his captain’s antics. If Kid’s crew was anything like his own, they were worried about his presence in the cave. Honestly, it was somewhat flattering to be seen as a threat by a crew that was apparently stronger than his own if their bounties were anything to measure them by. 

The smaller cave Kid moved them to was actually kind of cozy. The lantern light shone a warm orange across the stone walls, flickering along the surface in a hypnotic dance as the flames leapt and crackled behind the glass. Kid wasted no time, flipping Law onto his back in the cushions before following him down and all the guilt from before was promptly forgotten as his heart pounded for an entirely different reason. 

His usual aversion to this kind of intimacy was all but forgotten, only a tiny flutter like the wings of a moth drawn to the much more powerful light that captivated it. Law leaned into the calloused fingers tracing his jaw, then pushed up onto his elbows so their faces were closer. He hadn’t come far enough to initiate a kiss on his own, but inviting Kid in for one was a big step nonetheless.

Kid took the bait in an instant, closing the distance between them to capture Law’s lips in his own as he slid his hand around to cup the back of Law’s head in his large, well worn palm. This time Kid took his time, tracing his tongue along the seam of Law’s lips to begin, tasting what was on offer before pressing inward. He held Law like a vice, making it impossible for the man to easily move away, his other fingers falling down to the other’s hip again to recreate the bruising grip from the trail end. Law felt like fire, dangerous and beautiful, welcoming and destructive, and Kid just couldn’t resist.

Kissing still felt strange to him, but now that they weren’t in a hurry and Law had anticipated it he could at least take his time to get used to the feeling of Kid’s tongue in his mouth. It wasn’t unpleasant, exactly, but it took him a moment to work out what exactly he was supposed to do. A memory he’d forgotten until now surfaced, Cora-san’s voice echoing in his head. _‘With the right person, a kiss will make you feel safe. Like you’ve come home,’_ he’d answered after twelve year old Law had asked what was so great about kissing in the first place. He was starting to see what he’d meant by that.

Kid carried on in that manner, slow, sensual, and sweet until he pulled back for a gasp of air. As he pulled in a deep breath Kid looked down at his new companion, searching through his options to decide what felt right to do next. He was tired, if he was being honest - the crew had been working round the clock for the last four days, sleeping in shifts as they tried their best to make this cave a home worth calling their own. He had been sleeping even less than his men, determined that nobody put in any more effort or time than he himself did. 

But this… this was warm and comfortable and so very tempting. Between the pillows and Law’s body heat and the ease he felt around the other man the idea of doing not much more than this, except maybe while they were both spread out in his little nest, sounded so very appealing. So Kid let instict take over as he shifted, moving to lay beside Law instead of straddle him, before rolling onto his side and pulling the other man in for another long, languorous kiss.

For once, Law found himself enjoying the comfort of just being in the presence of someone he liked. His recent experiences with opening up to his crew certainly helped and his usual impatience to get on to the good stuff was surprisingly lacking. He was a quick learner, too, especially now that he’d given himself the time to take things slow and figure out how to tilt his head just the right way to better fit his lips against Kid’s. For now, he was content to let the redhead take the lead in this, though Law knew sooner or later he’d be feeling competitive and would want to one up the other man somehow. 

And so passed the next fifteen or so minutes, quiet but for the soft sounds of Kid’s lips brushing across Law’s, or the rustle of clothing as Kid slipped his free hand under Law’s shirt just to spread his fingers out across the tattoos he couldn’t see, but knew were there regardless. Somehow this was recuperative all on its own and eventually left Kid feeling like he could do more. Shifting slightly once they broke for air yet again, Kid managed to push Law flat onto his back again and hold him in place with an arm over his waist, cheek pillowed on Law’s bicep as he spoke quietly into his ear, “You’re going to stay like this for me. No moving.”

Snorting in amusement, Law wiggled his fingers in defiance. “You plan on using me as a pillow as we’re laying on top of what appears to be every pillow you own?” Law playfully complained, though he did nothing to try and get out of the situation. It was impossible to pinpoint why but somehow, in the week since they’d fucked, Law had come to accept this level of intimacy from Kid and was even enjoying it. 

“Yep,” Kid’s tone was perfectly deadpan and he even mimicked a quick snore before cracking his eyes open to grin at Law, unable to resist. There always would be a bit of a kid in him, likely as not. But that done and Law’s obedience mostly believed, Kid let the hand resting across Law’s waist shift until it was wrapped firmly around his hip, pressing them together from shoulder to ankle. He was quiet for a moment then, contemplating his question before releasing it to the world, “Why’d you come?”

The question felt loaded. Either he could continue teasing or he could be honest and admit to what was between them. Law weighed both options, quiet for a moment before he sighed to break up the silence before it could drag on into something awkward. In the end, it felt too peaceful for such a heavy conversation, so he went the vague route. “I told you I would.”

Kid could accept that. It spoke volumes on its own, anyway, that Law went out of his way to come find him after trying kick him out last time. While Kid had been beyond pissed, he was a man who loved as hard as he hated, partied as hard as he fought, and forgave as quickly as he angered as long as it was a forgivable offence. When Law had admitted that Kid was right and he deserved better than how Law had treated him, Kid was willing to move on and he had, “Yeah, you did.”

In spite of Kid’s insistence that Law remain still, he shifted so that he could get a better look at the other man’s face though he was careful to keep the arm Kid was pillowed on as still as possible. “Where did you get your sea floor decorations, anyway? I thought you said you were trying to make friends.”

“With the locals,” Kid countered, unable and unwilling to stop the little grin in his tone, “not the local band of slavers.” Killer had done some digging and found that - delight of all delights - one of the crews that had supplied the house on Rocky Port had operations in the area. So Kid and company had paid them an overdue visit, said hello, broke some things and… borrowed a few others. 

“Slavers?” It wasn’t impossible for Kid to have sussed out the connection Gen Lisea’s family had to the Calico Pirates and, by extension, Lorenzo Raishan. They got their information from the same place, after all, even though Kid hadn’t been interested in the ledger Law had pilfered from the office. Law let himself flop back down, chuckling in amusement. “So you had a run in with the Liseas, I take it?”

Another huff of a chuckle escaped Kid at that. This conversation was… nice. He was warm, comfortable, and somehow this felt a little indulgent, “They had a run in with us, y’mean.” Shifting, Kid stretched his legs out for a moment, pointing his toes almost elegantly as he did so, “We went after their suppliers, not the family itself. It would’ve fucked up us staying here long term.”

“I might be able to help out with that, actually,” Law replied, thinking out loud. It felt natural at this point to want to help Kid, he almost didn’t question it. He was the one staying here long term after all, and Law couldn’t see a reason for Osera to decline his suggestion to partner with Kid for as much or as little as suited them both. He could get him a meeting at the very least and use any goodwill he’d managed to generate for himself to make it beneficial.

Quirking one eyebrow up at that, Kid focused on settling himself in again until he was comfortable before responding. That meant pressing his knees in until he got Law to lift his legs, so he could tuck his own up and under and leave Law’s bent over the top of his knees. It was less strain on his back this way and left him feeling even closer to Law. “... yeah?” the question came lazy, as though Kid had to think for a moment to come up with his response. He was drowsy.

“I went on an... errand for a rival family. They might appreciate your efforts, too, since the pirate crew I went after was working for Gen Lisea as well.” Law moved easily, quickly intuiting what it was Kid wanted and shifting to accommodate. It was… surprisingly comfortable, being so entwined like this.

Humming his approval softly, Kid tilted his head a little closer into the crook of Law’s shoulder, though he almost immediately had to pull back with a sneeze when a strand of Law’s hair brushed his nose. Huffing his displeasure with that, Kid rubbed at his face for a moment before relocating himself to the comfort of Law’s bicep, “Why’d y’do that?” 

“Oh, allergic to me now?” Law teased as Kid got himself settled, amused by his reaction to getting a face full of hair. When he didn’t take the bait, Law settled back into the conversation. “I needed them for something. I figured the world would be better off without eighty seven black hearts.”

“Hearts are red,” as he began to speak, Kid turned his head in just long enough to bite at Law’s arm in retribution for the tease. The wicked little undercurrent of laughter in Kid’s words made it clear he was joking around, “You must be a bad surgeon.” Though he didn’t say it aloud, the number was impressive - in about a week Law was able to kill eighty seven other pirates? That’s not a bad number at all.

“Oh? And you’re a better one?” Rather than being offended, Law played along. Curling the arm Kid was resting on, he managed to get his fingers wrapped around that red hair just enough to tug before he let it lay flat again, deciding his point had been made. “I’m going to meet with one of Andro Vanda’s men later today. I can arrange something for you.”

“Alright, “ Kid agreed easily enough. Normally he would have felt some need to make it clear he didn’t ask for the help and that he didn’t owe Law anything for it, but for some reason that didn’t feel as important as usual. Maybe it was because he was tired, maybe it was because of something else, but whatever the case was Kid found he didn’t really care. He just knew that his primary concern right now was not having to move for a little while, to get to just lay here and rest in the warmth of the body next to him.

Kid’s easy acceptance of the offered help felt like he’d won something. The fact that Kid hadn’t needed to remind him he owed Law nothing almost made him feel like he belonged and that didn’t seem nearly as scary as it used to. “Good.” Leaving it at that, Law turned his head to watch Kid. His eyes were closed and his expression relaxed, almost slack. He was clearly tired from this venture and Law felt a sense of quiet peace work its way through him. Though Law wasn’t tired himself, he wasn’t in a hurry to climb out of the mess of bedding so he simply remained quiet and still, waiting for Kid to drift off.

With something like a sense of home surrounding him, Kid felt the pull of exhaustion tug on him yet again and this time, he didn’t fight it. In less than five minutes of silence he was out completely, curled around Law like a lion at rest, recuperating on his perch of pillows and completely at ease with keeping his fellow apex predator close. While the redhead occasionally huffed out little puffs of air in his sleep he was otherwise quiet, content where he was.

Breathing out through his nose, Law closed his eyes and relaxed back into the cushions. He expected to have to work back up to this after he’d nearly burned the bridge between them but apparently Kid had well and truly decided to forgive him. Law was more grateful for that than he thought he could be. Even he could appreciate how fucked up he had been, to be scared off by the concept of peacefully existing with another person. It seemed to come to easy to Kid, out like a light on his shoulder after he’d already been burned once before. Maybe Law could learn something from him, too, as he had with Ikkaku only a few short days ago.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ Akimao](http://akimao.tumblr.com/post/183498105816/middle-fingers-in-the-air-chapter-18-i) keeps going out of her way to provide us with all this lovely art. I know I say it a lot, but please give her all the kudos and love for all her contributions to this little story of ours. We appreciate it so much!


	19. *Flashover

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From [The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows:](http://www.dictionaryofobscuresorrows.com/page/2)  
> Flashover  
> n. the moment a conversation becomes real and alive, which occurs when a spark of trust shorts out the delicate circuits you keep insulated under layers of irony, momentarily grounding the static emotional charge you’ve built up through decades of friction with the world.

The soft crackle of the lantern was the only sound that filled the small cavern, the ruckus of building in the main cave unable to filter through solid stone. As it swam slowly toward consciousness Kid’s mind focused on the sweet, hypnotic rhythm of flame as it provided a calming internal resonance to the warmth he felt curled in his nest with Law still at his side. Even though it felt like a monumental effort - part of him was calling for him to sink back into the sweet oblivion of sleep - Kid finally began to blink his eyes open against the dim light, shifting softly as he tried to make sense of his surroundings, see if anything had changed from when he drifted off.

Stillness and silence rarely invited anything pleasant, but he’d always been alone in those moments. Law couldn’t say if it was the companionship or his mindset that made the hour and a half he lay still at Kid’s side pass so smoothly, but whatever it was he couldn’t find fault with it. His arm had eventually cramped and tingled but Kid was apparently a deep sleeper because Law had been able to shift without waking Kid, so the other man’s head was resting on his shoulder instead of his arm. And although he’d spend so long with considerable weight holding him down, Law hadn’t once felt trapped. It felt a little like miracles were happening.

At first there was a strange, dark forest of twisted black trees filling his vision, but as rational thought took over and Kid lifted one hand to rub the sleep from him eyes, he quickly came to realize that he was buried nose deep in Law’s hair. That was much less disconcerting than his initial thought. “... You stayed…” the words came soft, mumbled quietly into Law’s skin as Kid worked to rouse his voice from sleep. Law _stayed_. What a stark contrast to the last time Kid had tried to do the same. 

“I did,” Law agreed easily, uncurling a little so Kid had room to stretch if he chose to. “I don’t know where you thought I would have gone. You left me crushed under a thousand pounds,” he added, the corners of his mouth pulled up in the beginnings of a smile. There was something gentle about the redhead right now, something tenuous starting between them like new growth after a forest fire. For once, he decided to tread carefully and let it bloom. 

Taking the opportunity granted to him, Kid pressed his thighs into Law’s ass as he straightened his legs and arched from hip to toe. It was one half of a really good full body stretch, the kind that helped truly wake his body and mind. As he shifted to complete the upper body portion of things, he found that Law’s current position interfered with the motion but rather than force him to move Kid just modified his movement, arching backwards and stretching his hands out behind his head instead of folding forward like he normally did. 

Feeling a couple joints pop in satisfaction, Kid brought a hand back to his face to brush his own hair from his forehead this time before finally cracking both eyes open fully. “Y’coulda “roomed” out, or whatever,” though he was obviously awake now, Kid’s voice trailed behind the rest of his body, still slow and lilting with the weight of his nap. It was the kind of lethargy that came with a sense of comfort and safety, one he had only ever experienced before sleeping at Killer’s side.

“I call it Shambles,” Law replied, his words followed by an amused snort. “My Room is just the area I can control.” It was irrelevant in the long run, but specifying bought him time to decide if he wanted to address the reason he hadn’t just left. Before Kid could speak again, he made up his mind; he’d come this far, hadn’t he? “Besides, I didn’t want to. I was… comfortable.” He spoke with more depth than his nonchalant shrug would otherwise indicate and hoped it would be a good enough answer.

That, Kid was more than happy to hear. He smiled a little, content in this moment, this place, and this position and responded with another soft sound of agreement, “Me too.” Briefly he thought of how nice this would have felt after the first time they fucked, too, but it engendered more a dull ache in his chest than any kind of sharp anger. It didn’t matter, it was happening now and it felt right. 

It took Law perhaps longer than it should have to think of how to word what he wanted to say. He was aware he was rude and didn’t usually give a fuck, but in this instance he didn’t want to unintentionally cause another rift between them. “I’m still pretty comfortable, actually,” he began, speaking a beat slower than normal to test the words as he said them. “But I did promise my crew I’d be back in two hours and I’d rather not fish them out from your pitfall traps.”

Though he was far from fully aware of Law’s intimate issues and history, Kid could tell this conversation was foreign to him just in the way he carefully measured out his words. The other man was trying to be _careful_ he realized with a slow grin, turning his face into Law’s arm to hide it before he could see. Kid could intuit pretty easily he was probably thinking of their last heated encounter too and it actually bolstered the redhead’s sense of worth to see that Law was trying to tread carefully with him. “Yeah,” shifting to stretch again, Kid also used the patch of Law’s skin he was resting on to muffle a yawn before responding, “I should take you back.”

There was a beat where Law didn’t move or speak, just blinked at the response and the ease with which he was able to communicate what he wanted without it upsetting Kid. It was… easier than he had anticipated. Maybe this whole communication and politeness thing wasn’t so hard after all. If only he’d had more than six months of Corazon trying to instill that back into him, it might have stuck. “You know-” the conversation so far had been easy enough that Law felt the words spilling out almost before he could think them. “...I anticipate we’ll continue seeing a lot of each other. It might not hurt for our crews to meet. At least that way they won’t be under the impression we’re about to be mangled whenever we’re together.”

At that Kid blinked, considering the proposal Law laid out for a moment before responding with a hopeful timbre in his voice, “Like, a party?” It had been too long since the Kid Pirates had their last beachside ruckus and the very idea of it struck a deep chord inside Kid - he loved bonfires, booze, and boxing matches and all three of those things happened at every party they ever threw. He could get behind that idea really quick.

A party hadn’t been what he pictured but it sounded a hell of a lot more fun than the stilted, awkward affair he’d imagined. He knew how his crew was when they let loose, but the added mix of Kid’s men made for an unpredictable and ultimately entertaining sounding evening. Killer and Penguin would most definitely square up at least once, being the closest to their captains. The mental image made him snicker. “Sure. Like a party.”

“Fuck yes,” Kid’s response was immediate, his mind already racing through some of the logistics and location options. He was initially tempted to suggest one crew bring the food while the other brought the alcohol, but on second thought that could result in him missing out on either some tasty new dish or wonderfully potent drink that Law knew about and he didn’t, so he scrapped that thought. Shifting, he paused in his planning process for a moment, only long enough to lift his head and press another kiss to Law’s lips before pulling himself upright and regaining his full height, “Come on, gotta get you home before the babysitters worry.”

This whole kissing thing was kind of nice, too. Damn it, Cora-san really had been right about everything, hadn’t he? Pushing himself upright, Law took a moment to stretch before flashing Kid a cheeky grin. “Am I going to get an express ride back to the beach, or do I get to walk back myself?” It hadn’t been the most comfortable thing, but damn if he didn’t enjoy the freedom to just grab Kid’s ass as much as he wanted.

Quirking an eyebrow at Law, Kid just looked him up and down before tossing a question his way, “You think I kept it a secret how to get here just to show you the path on the way out?” For all that this was… this was something unexpected and comforting and right, it didn’t magically erase the fact that they were both pirates with potentially clashing goals; he wasn’t turning over the exact location of his secret hideaway to anybody.

“It’s hard to tell with you sometimes,” Law replied, grin widening. “I wasn’t sure if you were really trying to keep this a secret or if you just did that to fuck with me.” Patting Kid’s arm as a brief warning, he jumped up onto the taller man’s back and looped his arms around his neck to hold on, legs winding around his waist to keep him stead. “I should make you a saddle.”

Taking the opportunity presented to him, Kid just grinned, “Yeah. Not surprised you wanna ride me like a stallion.” If there was anything about Law that Kid was sure of, it was his desperate hunger for sex. Other than the other man’s physical appearance, it was probably the first bit of Law’s personality Kid really encountered. Not that he minded, it was certainly flattering to be reminded of how desirable Law thought he was.

Biting back a laugh that Law was certain Kid could feel through the shuddering of his chest pressed to the redhead’s back, he squeezed his legs pointedly around Kid’s waist. “You’re backwards, Kid. If I was talking about riding you like that, it’d be bareback. A saddle would just get in the way.” A tiny part of him hoped Killer was close enough to hear their voices echoing off the stone walls encompassing them. Let him hear that not everything about his captain belonged to him alone. 

Kid’s responding bark of laughter made it clear he appreciated Law’s comment. At ease with letting the other man cling to him, Kid undid his waist sash again, shimmied it out from between his back and Law’s crotch, and held it up to the other man, “At least three times around, knotted in the back.” There was something he’d liked, on a primal level, about seeing Law bound with something so profoundly Kid’s. He wasn’t planning on passing up the opportunity to enjoy that again.

Law understood the reason for being careful, so he didn’t argue. He wound the cloth around his eyes three times and knotted it in the front, mostly just to be an ass and prove he didn’t take orders well even when he liked the person giving them. “All right, I’m ready to enjoy the scenic blackness on the way back to the beach.”

Looking back over his shoulder to ensure accurate compliance, Kid couldn’t help but roll his eyes and flick the knot just hard enough that Law would feel it between the eyes. But his vision was still properly hindered and so Kid left it alone otherwise, shifting a bit to ensure they were both going to be comfortable for the trip before he left his calm little nook and headed back out into the bustle of construction in the main cavern. 

It was quick from there to tell Killer he was sorry for falling asleep while everyone else was working, have his apology brushed off because the whole crew knew he needed it, argue about the importance of Kid always being present with his men, Killer telling him to shut his mouth, and finally Kid giving in and announcing that he’d be back in an hour or so. Those things settled he stepped back out into the daylight, sighing softly as the warmth of the day brushed his skin.

Though he couldn’t see Killer, he could hear where his voice was coming from, so before Kid could leave he leveled a jaunty salute in the blond’s direction before burying his face against Kid’s back to muffle a laugh. He was feeling good. Better than he had in a long time and it was a culmination of finally having a plan to get him to where he wanted to be, accepting the affection of his crew, and now... this. Whatever _this _was. Law was… happy. It was strange.__

__“Y’know,” Kid opined once they were out in the open air, removed from ear shot of his second, “you keep fucking with him like that, you’re gonna be the first one he challenges to a “friendly” spar at this little beach party we’re gonna throw.” The stress Kid placed on the word he captured in air quotes Law couldn’t see made it clear that the term was likely to be a misnomer. But it would be one hell of an enjoyable thing to watch, he knew neither one of them would truly do the other any lasting damage._ _

__“Oh? Is that all that would happen? I kind of imagined he’d try to fillet me in my sleep. Guess he’s softer than I thought,” Law knew better than to actually think Killer hadn’t earned his name. But it was fun to fuck around with Kid and he had absolutely no problem with it if Killer didn’t like him. He didn’t care if he was liked, barring a few exceptions._ _

__Kid just smirked, shaking his head in amusement as he responded, “Oh yeah, he’s just a big old polar bear.” As they headed out into the forest Kid had to remind himself to stay focused on carefully treading through the terrain and avoid getting so wrapped up in conversation with Law he stepped somewhere stupid. That would be embarrassing, wouldn’t it, to spring one of his own traps on them. Painful, too._ _

__“Yeah, my polar bear is pretty soft too,” he agreed thoughtfully, adjusting his grip on Kid so he could be better settled in for the trip. They fell into a companionable silence for several minutes while Law let his mind wander. It took effort to try not to map out where they were; he wanted to respect that boundary as much as he could. The silence was making that a bit difficult though. “This island didn’t seem big enough for such a long walk. I’m kind of impressed you managed to find this place, set up all those traps, and get so much furniture built. I guess it’s easier when your whole crew is jacked, though.” Law was aware he was essentially just verbalizing his stream of consciousness but it was a good distraction from the analytical side of him that was trying to figure out where exactly they were in spite of his attempts to quiet it._ _

__“My men are fucking strong,” Kid agreed, easily respecting his crew’s substantial abilities. He knew he wouldn’t get anywhere without them and he had always made it clear that he belonged to them, rather than the other way around. He knew as a leader his men had to want to follow him for who he was, not what he did, or they’d just wind up being a fair weather, fickle group. He couldn’t afford that, not with everything he had riding on his shoulders._ _

__There were a lot of directions he could go in and that was the downfall of conversation with people you gave a shit about. Law could smooth talk information out of anyone if he didn’t care about the state of the relationship after, but when it came to navigating the vastness of interaction without a set goal it was a little baffling. “...did your whole crew come with you from South Blue?”_ _

__A casual shrug accompanied Kid’s words, “Most of ‘em. We picked up a couple in the early parts of the Grand Line, but that’s it.” While family sometimes still felt like a dirty word to him, the term “crew” had an entirely different connotation - it was warmth, camaraderie, a sense of care for the each person that formed it. Kid could talk about them for hours, if presented the opportunity. But he was curious too and figured that for everything he shared, Law should as well, “What about yours? All Northerners?”_ _

__This was a topic of conversation he didn’t mind being honest about. His crew didn’t bring up the trauma other parts of his past did, so Law was free with the information he shared. “Yeah. Penguin, Shachi and Bepo have been with me since I was thirteen. The rest I picked up here and there.” The give and take of the conversation felt balanced, and he found he liked learning new things about Kid and sharing things about himself in return. The mundane things, anyway. “Killer must be the other half of the ‘we’ you mentioned.”_ _

__… Fuck. Kid had to be careful with his words and he was damn lucky that Killer had been there from the very start, or covering for Yara would be harder. “Yeah,” this time, the response came a little slower, as though Kid was uncertain either of how much to share, or exactly how to word it, “Kill and I grew up in the same town. Knew each other since we were kids. He… knows everything.” It was a very obtuse reference and Kid wasn’t entirely sure why he said it, but he couldn’t take the words back now so he just let them set, awkward in the open air._ _

__Law nodded a little, sensing the awkwardness. It must be about what happened with his parents and what they had him doing. He found himself wanting to say something, but it didn’t feel like the right time. “That must be nice,” he mumbled into the back of Kid’s head. Law himself didn’t have anyone who knew the full extent of his truth. Who understood why he was so awful at expressing himself. Why he could only form shallow attachments with people. Why he spurned intimacy and avoided so much as a hug just in case it triggered his claustrophobia. Bepo, Penguin, and Shachi knew the most and not even they knew he had been born in the White City. Law wasn’t sure he would ever be able to share that particular fact with anyone; he’d seen enough disgust written across people’s faces to last a lifetime._ _

__Embarrassing and mortifying were the first two qualifier that sprang to mind to rebut Law’s comment, but Kid reigned them back in before he spoke them aloud. Sure, that had been true at first. He’d never felt a sense of such overwhelming, miserable shame as when Killer first asked him if his parents did bad things. Just the way the blonde had worded it made Kid certain he knew everything already and he’d gone so red with emotion that Killer himself had flinched, though Kid could still see the way he’d clenched his fists and held his ground._ _

__The truth had come out in fits and starts and took over a year to fully form but once he’d started to acknowledge that Killer was right and put into words the best he could what had been happening to him, the whole feeling of it had shifted to a palpable, almost crippling sense of relief. There was one other person in the world who knew what was wrong and believed what Kid had told him, unlike every other adult in that shithole down._ _

__He had someone who cared about helping him out of that situation, who saw value in saving him when all he’d ever been able to focus on was saving Kat and Yara. When he said that Killer was his blood brother, Kid meant it with every fiber of his being. Killer was his soulmate in at least one sense of the word. “... Eventually,” he acquiesced, chewing on his lower lip as he tried, unsuccessfully, to figure out how to change the topic._ _

__Even though he hadn’t spoken any of it aloud, Law’s mental state was heading down the same dark path it always did and he could sense Kid was right there with him. He grasped for some other topic of conversation and the first thing that sparked was directly related to the plan he had been so proud of. “What do you think of the Shichibukai?” It was perhaps not the most elegant segue but at least it was better than the shadows that stretched on between them._ _

__“Traitorous government dogs,” Kid’s response was instantaneous, sharp, and certain. He had no use for those who gained power just to turn it over to the Marines for what, a pat on the back? Free rein in their tiny part of the ocean? It was a fucking insult to being a pirate, as far as he was concerned, “... Only good one is maybe Hancock, at least at Marineford she didn’t fight for the Marines.”_ _

__Unsurprised by his answer, Law opened his mouth to make a joke only to roll his eyes when Kid brought up Hancock. “You sure it’s not her tits you’re thinking of? No one on my crew could shut up about them when we were on Amazon Lily.” It wasn’t that Law was jealous, it was just that he didn’t really see the appeal. She seemed like a snob._ _

__Kid’s answering snort was response enough, but he elected to use his words to make things a little more clear for Law, just to be sure, “I don’t give a shit about her tits.” Which was absolutely true, and furthermore, Kid couldn’t help but dislike the bitchy way in which she handled herself. He didn’t mind cocky, but he hated condescending._ _

__“...there’s no way you’re not at least partially into women.” The conversation morphed again, because when Law had mentioned Hancock he was really using her as a placeholder for women in general - not that Kid could have known that. Apparently now he was curious about Kid’s sexual preferences other than himself, because obviously Kid was into him._ _

__“That so?” quirking an eyebrow, Kid just shrugged and let Law think what he would. The redhead could care less either way. Nimbly making his way around a pit trap Kid sighed softly, tilting his head back to look up at the canopy of tree limbs above them, “When are we gonna throw this party?” If they were actually going to make it happen, they had to talk about it._ _

__That little shit. It didn’t matter in the slightest, but Law was curious now. He couldn’t think of a witty way to bring it up again, so he let it be for now. “Dunno. I assumed we were talking tonight. You need time to get supplies together? Your guys are a little preoccupied right now.” He was honestly looking forward to it, if only to see who got their hackles up first and how many pissing contests there would be._ _

__At that Kid made a noncommittal sound of acknowledgement and thought about it for a minute. In all honesty, he didn’t want to stop construction until everyone had a comfortable place to sleep, at least. They were figuring they’d be done with beds in a couple more days, so Kid pursed his lips for a second before responding, “Two nights from now works better.”_ _

__It took a moment for Law to hide his disappointment; who knew if he’d be in this same mood two nights from now? But it was understandable, and ultimately the whole point here was to stop being such a pushy asshole. Look at how far he’d come so far. “Sure. Should I go fishing for Sea King to feed everyone, or are we going to share?” Outside of letting the crew go wild when they’d defeated whoever needed defeating or the small gatherings on the open sea when there was little else to do, Law had never been to one of the riotous bonfire ragers he knew other crews hosted. It was just one more situation in which he didn’t know what to expect._ _

__“You bring booze and food, I’ll bring booze and food, and we’ll stuff our faces like we’re dead men in the morning,” it was his favorite form of partying and he wanted to experience anything new that the Heart Pirates had to offer. He’d never had much exposure to, well, anything when he was young so he took any opportunity he had now to experience any of the world outside of his own little bubble._ _

__“I can do that.” Already, Law was thinking of all the strange North Blue recipes he could remember. Clione would know more, he was sure, being the cook. He wanted so badly to see the reactions of Kid’s crew to some of the things they could serve alongside the traditional slabs of meat and fish he was sure would be present. There was no doubt Kid and his crew would do the same thing; it was just a matter of whose cuisine was stranger._ _

__Smiling his pleasure, Kid paused as they neared the edge of the trailhead, not quite ready to let Law go yet. Though he’d only gotten maybe ninety minutes of sleep he felt bright and eager, something about this interaction with the other man refreshing in a way he was unfamiliar with, “... Hey, Law?” The words came a little tentative, a little soft, borne to him on the warm summer wind that wrapped around them both._ _

__“Hmm?” Law’s reply was immediate, still caught up in his plans to spike their meal with unusual food. Almost belatedly, he recognized that Kid was speaking in a softer tone, one he’d never heard before. Remembering that he was trying to display some level of politeness, he shifted a bit closer to express he was listening. “What is it?” Law’s tone leveled out to more or less match Kid’s own, realizing he’d been unintentionally dismissive in his initial reply._ _

__Though he felt awkward suddenly, like he was a bit of an idiot for thinking of saying this aloud, Kid knew he was too far along to back out without making it even weirder. So he just took a breath and pushed the words out, nervously chewing on his lower lip and grateful Law couldn’t see it, “... I like this. You and me.”_ _

__The irony of the situation wasn’t lost on Law. He was riding on the back of arguably the strongest of the Worst Generation, who had created a graveyard of body parts chained to the ocean floor for the hell of it, who had been known to smash the faces of anyone who looked at him wrong, who… was nervously admitting to liking him. Law, who had only very recently decided it was worth it to open himself up to human connection again. And while his instinct was still to laugh it off and say something smarmy, he didn’t. He didn’t want to. Instead, Law reached up to affectionately rub the top of Kid’s head like he sometimes did to Bepo. “...me too.”_ _

__Okay, well, that could have gone worse. Kid took it as a win, regaining his confidence as he slid Law off his back and onto his own two feet again, “Good.” Turning to face his companion, Kid leaned in just long enough to nip at the exposed bit of skin at Law’s neckline, leaving no trace of the touch but the sensation in Law’s nerves. That done he began to unwind the blindfold again, pulling it free to replace it around his own waist. He should get back, he had work to do._ _

__The feeling of disappointment crept up again, but if nothing else Law was an expert at keeping his emotions on a tight leash so he didn’t let it show. Once the makeshift blindfold was removed, he blinked a few times in the sudden brightness, shifting into Kid’s shadow so it wasn’t so blinding. “..two days, then?”_ _

__“Two days,” Kid nodded in agreement, reaching out to wind his fingers posessively through the hair at the back of Law’s neck. He didn’t lean in for a kiss this time, but rather just pulled the other man’s head back until his throat was curved and exposed to anything Kid might wish to do. Yet the redhead left it as just that, this time. A suggestion of what could be done, of the things on his mind. It was with a wicked smirk on his lips that he released his grip, looking Law up and down once before finishing with his response, “We’ll use that wide, open beach to the west of the main harbor, yeah?”_ _

__By now, Law was more than willing to go along with Kid when he got like this. He hadn’t regretted it so far and he didn’t now, rolling his shoulders back and grinning smugly up at the sky as he just let himself be held. It was still thrilling, even though he knew Kid wasn’t going to hurt him in the ways some men liked to. The tease had definitely been felt as the redhead released him and though he so wanted to stay and explore what else those hands might be in the mood for, he had promised he would be back. “Is that your way of telling me to get the fuck off your island?”_ _

__The amusement in Kid’s chuckle wasn’t hard to catch, “For now.” Before he let Law head back to his crew, Kid threw out one final idea. After all, it made perfect sense in his head, if the whole point was to make their crews bond, “Why don’t we make Kill and Bird plan this thing. It’ll be good for them.” Was it true that he got a bit of a thrill from imagining the very pointed look of displeasure Killer was surely going to shoot his way? Well yes, of course, but what was the harm in that?_ _

__Law’s answering snort made it clear he was also entertained by the idea. And Kid’s fuck up of Penguin’s name, whether intentional or otherwise. He’d have to use that at some point, too. “Sure. It’ll be good for him to feel like he has control over some of the ‘dangerous’ scenarios I get caught up in. Here,” Law produced a pen from his jacket pocket and gestured for Kid to hold out his hand, doubting he had anything to write on tucked in his sash._ _

__Kid offered up the requested hand without a smidge of argument, figuring it was for the number to one of the Heart Pirates’ transponder snails. Feeling rejuvenated and more than a little giddy, Kid watched the man with “DEATH” scrawled on his knuckles and found his wandering thoughts finding the tattoos almost cute._ _

__Not that he doubted the truth of them for even a second, but that someone as lethal as Law felt it necessary to announce that fact - it reminded him of the poisonous frogs on Centaurea, the ones that were bright red and yellow in warning to the idiot predators who thought they’d be a tasty snack. Kid immediately had to bite back a snort of laughter at the sudden, unbidden image that rose in his mind of Law perched in the center of a lily pad with his hands resting on the ground beside his feet, flicking his tongue in the air._ _

__Law shot Kid a look of confusion at the sudden change in his expression - like he was going to sneeze or laugh or both - then took the other man’s hand in his, palm up. In the grand scheme of things, their height difference wasn’t that significant; six inches at most, which was a drop in the bucket compared to men like Jean Bart and Doflamingo. It wasn’t enough to explain the difference in the size of their hands. Law’s were slender and elegant, knuckles prominent considering their thinness. His mother had called them feminine, even when he was nine and everything was still round with youth._ _

__Kid’s were nothing like that. His palms were wide, fingers long but thick. Even the backs of his hands looked strong, tendons flexing with each movement. Law was fairly certain if the redhead cupped them both together he could probably sit in his hands and be relatively comfortable. Almost too late he realized he’d just been holding onto the meaty part of Kid’s palm and staring at his hands without moving. He brought his left hand up somewhat jerkily as he moved to scrawl the number he knew by heart across the lines of Kid’s palm._ _

__Bringing his attention back to the reality of the scene in front of him, Kid indulged himself in watching Law as he wrote, eyes following the looping scrawl of the man’s handwriting. There was something almost delightfully juvenile about this moment, made him feel like they were sharing a secret. It wasn’t until Law looked back up at him that Kid spoke, trying to tamp down on the sense of disappointment his next words sent through him, “Y’should get going. Before your crew comes back with torches and pitchforks.”_ _

__Law pretended to consider that for a moment before he shrugged, slipping the pen back where he’d gotten it. “Dunno. I could be into that,” he drawled with mock seriousness, though the mirth in his eyes gave him away. He could have lingered over this moment all day, so he forced himself to take a step back and turn around. With Kikoku tucked in its usual spot, Law headed back down the familiar path, free hand raising over his shoulder in a casual wave. “Two days.”_ _

__“Two days,” Kid acknowledged, voice tinged with an eagerness he couldn't manage to hide. Why the hell did two days seem so long all the sudden? Kid watched Law’s retreating back until he lost sight of the other man, then immediately rolled his eyes and scoffed at his own sense of eager melancholy. “What are you, a puppy?” scolding himself with a sharp shake of the head, Kid turned back around and began the return trek to his crew - time to tell Killer he had another task to attend to and then build some more beds._ _

__Upon his captain’s return, Killer handed off the mostly finished bed frame he’d been working on to Hex and then stood up to meet him. They made eye contact the second the redhead had entered and Kid was moving with a sense of purpose that Killer knew to mean there was something he wanted to discuss. Something he was most likely not going to be a fan of, considering the recent company he’d been keeping. “Ready to work again, Captain?”_ _

__“A hundred percent,” Kid nodded his assent, unable to mask the grin growing across his face as he continued, “actually, I’m gonna take the work off your hands. You deserve a break. I’ve got a desk job for you.” When Kid was feeling proud of himself for an upcoming troll moment he was almost never able to hide it, “Just a couple calls involved, a bit of strategic planning.”_ _

__Killer wanted to believe that the job Kid had for him was legitimate work, but the shit-eating look on his face made it clear that was far from the truth. “...I don’t need a break. I think Wire could use one, though,” he replied in a measured tone, making it obvious he wasn’t in the mood for his captain’s games._ _

__Kid shook his head loose and easy, throwing an arm around Killer’s shoulders as he continued to speak, “No, this is delicate work. Networking work. The kind of delicate, networking work that should be done with somebody with a hand for it. Somebody with finesse, good with people. Somebody like you.” Kid knew he was about five seconds away from taking a fist to the face for being so smarmy but he couldn’t help himself._ _

__As Kid went on, Killer stared at him so hard he was sure his captain could feel it through the helmet. A small but not insignificant part of himself wanted to pull it off and whack Kid in the face with it but he had a reputation as the level-headed one and didn’t want the rest of the crew to see that he could be reduced to childishness like that. “And what business do _you_ have giving _me_ delicate networking work?” Whenever it came down to things like this, Killer was usually the one who had to convince the redhead that sometimes this sort of thing was necessary. Kid had not shown an interest in it. Ever._ _

__Kid scoffed like that was a silly question, “I’m your captain.” Guiding Killer over to the transponder snail, Kid gestured to the pen and paper sitting beside it and held his hand out in a clear command for Killer to take the number down in a much more permanent form, “So, this’ll get you in contact with your counterpart. He knows it’s a delicate, important networking thing too. And you two will work together. As together as you’ve ever worked with anyone.”_ _

__Staring long and hard at the unfamiliar handwriting on Kid’s hand, it occurred to Killer there was only one person who could have put it there and he sighed. So that’s what this was about. He’d had his suspicions but now he knew for sure. “Why do you want me to network with your booty call, huh? Isn’t it about time you moved on? We’ve got more important things to do.”_ _

__“Booty call?” Kid mimicked a hurt tone, giving Killer his best imploring look, “you know I don’t do that shit, Kill.” Patting his second on the back, Kid switched to adopting the most serious tone he could muster, trying and half failing to hold back a sputtering laugh as he spoke, “Besides, you’re not gonna talk to him, you’re gonna talk to Penguin. We’re gonna have a party two nights from now, us and the Heart Pirates. And the two of you are gonna plan it.”_ _

__This was getting ridiculous. He had furniture to build. “...I’m not going to talk you out of this, am I?” To be honest… it probably wasn’t the worst idea. Clearly Kid had a thing for Trafalgar and he wasn’t going to go away. Killer had accepted that already, so it made sense that the two crews learned to interact as well. That didn’t mean he liked it though._ _

__“Nope,” sounding almost proud of how certain he was in that fact, Kid gave Killer his most winsome grin before turning on his heel to head back over to his work station, “so you better get started.” That had gone well, hadn’t it? Pleased with himself, Kid called for Yara to come help him hammer the nails they were using to hold the bedposts together - though he could easily have driven them in with his power, she enjoyed wielding the hammer too much to take the opportunity away from her._ _

__With a defeated sigh, Killer scooped up the transponder snail and ducked out from the loud workspace to his own quiet cavern. Hopefully Trafalgar had the decency to tell his first mate to expect his call; the kid looked easily spooked and though that would probably be funny, Killer wanted to spend as little time on this as possible._ _

__Meanwhile, on the far side of the island; Law chose to take a different approach. Rather than announce himself to his crew like a normal person might, Law opted for a flashier entrance and used his power to transport himself right behind Penguin. He leaned an arm over the other man’s shoulder and brought his face close to his ear before murmuring “Boo” in a stage whisper. Maybe if he remained lighthearted about the whole thing, his crew would too._ _

__Penguin’s decidedly unmanly screech of fright clearly announced to the rest of the crew that their lovely captain had returned. Whipping around and yanking his hands up defensively, the Polar Tang’s second tried to turn his startled response into something more along the lines of a cry of intimidation, a warning to a rival that he was tough, but the sound died comically in his throat when he laid eyes on Law, “C-Captain!”_ _

__Law didn’t even bother to hide his snicker, patting Penguin’s shoulder. “Not quite Bepo’s roar, but you’re getting there,” he encouraged. “Why do you look so surprised to see me? I told you I’d be back.” Though fully aware of why Penguin had reacted the way he did, he decided to give the other man an out._ _

__“Y-you should have been back six minutes ago, Captain!” taking the opportunity presented, Penguin drew himself up to his full height and continued to scold his leader. He’d been such a worried mess the last few hours that Law could at least have the good graces to feel guilty about it, “We were just about to mount a search and rescue!”_ _

__Tugging the brim of Penguin’s had down over his eyes, Law then rubbed his knuckles over the top of his head through the fabric. “We’re pirates, Peng. Pirates aren’t punctual.” He wasn’t going to harp on him too much, though; in the end, Law sort of appreciated the concern and hoped the party would help put their fears at ease._ _

__Grumbling as he tried to free himself from the his hat Penguin continued to protest, grunting as he tugged the brim back over his nose, “We’re punctual with each other, Captain, we gotta be!” After resituating himself Penguin reached out to pat Law down, taking a physical inventory of his current health. He didn’t trust Law alone with that brute of a redhead for one second, the ass would try to hurt him one of these days, he just knew it._ _

__“Hmm, I’ll keep that in mind next time you and Ikkaku come back from port 30 minutes late for vague reasons,” he replied thoughtfully, letting his words sink in before moving on. He wasn’t out to fluster Penguin too much, at least not right now. “I have an important mission for you, by the way. Something I know only you could do and do right.”_ _

__“Learned it from yo-” though he’d begun to mumble under his breath, Penguin changed his tune right quick when he heard the rest of what Law had to say. Perking up immediately, the small man squared his shoulders, straightened his posture, and shot Law an officious nod before responding, “At your command, Captain! I am absolutely your man!”_ _

__He was so eager Law almost felt bad for potentially exaggerating the importance of the task at hand. He could make an argument for the necessity of this gathering, though, so he didn’t let that pesky feeling get in the way. “In probably a half an hour or so you’re going to get a call. I need you to make arrangements for us two days from now.”_ _

__A call? Something very important then, for Law to have given away the personal number to the Polar Tang’s transponder snail, “Yes sir, of course!” Whatever Law needed him to handle, Penguin was determined to carry out his duties to the utmost best of his ability, “What end goal can I achieve for you?”_ _

__“Well,” Leaning in, Law looped his arm over Penguin’s shoulders and got close. “We’re going to have a bonfire. A party. And the Kid Pirates are going to join us. They’re showy bastards, too, so I want to make sure they don’t show us up.” Patting him firmly between the shoulderblades, Law straightened. “Think you can manage that for me?”_ _

__As the reality of what Law was asking sank in, Penguin immediately deflated as his eyes went wide and incredulous, “... what?” Shaking his head in disbelief, Penguin stepped away and turned to face Law straight on, blinking rapidly, “No, come on, Captain, that’s…” Insulting? Ridiculous? Mean? Penguin couldn’t settle on a word so he left the thought unfinished, watching Law warily and hoping his captain would catch on to what he was trying to say._ _

__Sensing his playful attitude might come off as condescending, Law sighed and straightened out of his slouched posture. “Look, Penguin. They’re not going away. And considering how uncomfortable you and the rest get whenever we cross paths, this is the best way to deal with that.” Loosening the serious posture, Law let the corners of his lips lift in a smile of encouragement. “Besides, aren’t you the one who always brags about throwing the best parties?”_ _

__Desperately searching for the most appropriate response, Penguin realized he was too dumbfounded to really find it when he just gave up, threw his hands in the air, and sputtered, “You only throw parties for people you like!” There were other things he should argue - that Kid should go away, that a party wouldn’t make that crew less of a threat, that Law was being ridiculous, but he couldn’t seem to form those points into coherent thought._ _

__“... I do like him, Peng.” Law was surprised by the softness of his own words. It felt strange to admit something so personal, something he hadn’t even fully come to terms with yet, but it was true and maybe it would help. Help him understand that this wasn’t just his usual habit of chasing danger for the thrill of it. This was something… deeper._ _

__Though he’d been frantically scrambling to find more ammunition to fight this hairbrained idea with, Penguin’s thoughts immediately ground to a halt when Law’s soft admission registered between his ears. “Oh…” looking up at his Captain, Penguin searched his eyes for a moment before realization dawned and he grimaced, bowing his head to stare at the ground for a moment, “crap.”_ _

__Shifting awkwardly under the other man’s scrutiny, Law quickly changed the subject. “So, you’ll do it? Oh, and see if Clione remembers any weird North Blue recipes. I want to see if any of them will freak out the southerners.” Having felt like he’d said enough, he moved to walk past Penguin, not really sure of a better way to end the conversation._ _

__“Yes sir,” this time when Penguin said it, it was lacking the enthusiastic pep and verve from earlier. But he was a good first mate and he’d carry out the order anyway, even as uncertain of the logic behind it as he was. The fact that Law actually liked Eustass, that was… that was information he didn’t know what to do with. Why couldn’t he have had it for Shachi or something, or even Bepo? That was a thing they all could have worked with._ _

__As Law predicted, the transponder snail rang approximately thirty minutes later. Without being asked, Shachi had joined Penguin for moral support. Though he hadn’t been able to overhear the conversation he’d had with their captain, he could tell by the look on his friend’s face that something was up. That, and he was a bit of a gossip. As the snail vibrated on the table with each ring, Shachi looked from the little creature to Penguin. “...you gonna answer that?”_ _

__Heaving a deep, put upon sigh Penguin only nodded, finally taking the proding as motivation to actually reach out and pluck the handset from its cradle. “Penguin here,” he said by way of greeting, pursing his lips as he waited for confirmation as to who was on the other end of the line._ _

__“Are you on board with this inane plan?” Killer didn’t bother introducing himself; if Trafalgar did his job right his equally scrawny right hand would know exactly who was calling. This was his first real judge of the other man’s character; he had his own complex feelings about the nature of this party and was curious to see if Penguin was in the same boat as he was._ _

__Scrunching up his nose, Penguin debated internally on how to answer that question. Part of him instinctually wanted to jump to his captain’s defense and support every decision he made but the muscle man’s choice of words coming through the line made it clear he wasn’t fully bought into this whole party concept either. So, “... Not really, but what else am I gonna do?” Penguin chose to go with honesty today._ _

__At least they seemed to be on a somewhat similar page here. Killer was mostly just grumpy about having to be the one to plan it at this point. “What do you have for supplies that you’re willing to bring?” He didn’t know what weird sort of shit Trafalgar and his crew got up to. What if they only ate fish or didn’t drink hard liquor? He’d have to be prepared to fill in for whatever the other crew might have been lacking._ _

__And so the conversation went, stilted and awkward but focused enough to hash out the details. Drink and dishes were decided on, as well as a time and a finalized location. Penguin agreed to picking up the tab for hangover reducing herbs in turn for Killer’s acquiescence in his request that the Kid Pirates supply the materials needed to bandage or splint any bloodied or broken limbs that might occur throughout the night._ _

__All in all, it wasn’t a terrible conversation. Penguin seemed level headed and didn’t beat around the bush and they were able to come to a consensus easily enough. There was even a vague conversation about entertainment for the evening, other than the brawls that were sure to break out. A few from each crew were musically inclined, and both agreed they would check in with some others with particular talents to see if there was anything else to be supplied. In two days’ time, they would see just how well their planning came together._ _

__And, perhaps most worryingly, how well the two crews could get along._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ Akimao](http://akimao.tumblr.com/post/183653425851/i-like-this-you-and-me-middle) is still amazing and you should all go tell her as much. <3


	20. *The Ruckus

Upon their arrival to the main island, Law made quick work of returning the eternal poses that had been loaned to him. Osera had been pleased, if disturbed, with the grisly, still beating proof of Law’s success. Enough so that he had readily agreed to grant Law unmolested use of the beach. He also agreed to meet with Kid, though that was a little more begrudging on his part. In the end, everything had worked out the way Law planned and it was more than enough to keep his spirits high in the days leading up to the party. 

The job of preparing the beach for the arrival of the other crew also fell to the Heart Pirates. They had already relocated to the port on the main island and considering their proximity to the location the bonfire would be held it made sense. Law sent Bepo and Jean Bart to buy a stack of torches to light the perimeter once the sun went down that he later treated with herbs he knew worked to repel insects. 

Law would have had to be blind not to see the general discomfort most of the crew was in. Sure, they were excited at the prospect of a massive celebration, but their guests had them on edge. He spent most of the 48 hours working up their competitive spirits; they had to have the best (or at least the weirdest) food, the strongest drink, the most exciting entertainment. That had done a lot to help; no one on his crew wanted to appear intimidated or be shown up by the Kid Pirates. 

The day of the party dawned misty and cool. It was nice weather to complete the more labor-intensive parts of the preparation. They made quick work of jamming the torches deep into the sand to ensure they wouldn’t fall or be easily knocked over. The kindling and firewood for the bonfire was laid out, to be lit closer to the arrival of the other crew. Uni, Clione, and Shachi filled the kitchen with all sorts of food from the North Blue, in addition to more commonly available fare for the evening’s feast. 

Taking her captain’s words seriously, Ikkaku kept Jean Bart and Penguin busy building a rig for her upwind of where the bonfire would be. She had grown up on ships, her father having been a merchant sailor, and had discovered the joy of dangling from the rigging and later torn fabric from old sails. Law wasn’t sure how she had come up with it, but she had made an art out of winding herself up in the various fabrics she’d tied off to the yardarm. He’d seen acrobats performing at a festival once in Flevance, but they’d been suspended on tightropes, hoops, and trapezes. Dangling from two pieces of flowing fabric wasn’t something he’d seen anywhere else. 

The rig was shaped like two uppercase A’s with a center beam connecting the topmost point. Brightly colored silk-like material was tied off with rope to the middle of that beam. Though he had his own work to attend to, Law couldn’t help but be distracted by watching the three of them constructing this odd stage. Seeing Jean Bart climb to the top of the comparably thin wooden beams to secure the knots so Ikkaku could test whether or not they would hold while Penguin nervously stood below her to catch her if she fell was its own form of entertainment.

As the day progressed, Law could feel the nervous, excited energy building. His crew had bonded even further over this uncertain event and team unity felt higher than it had in some time. It was almost like they were preparing for battle, which Law found a little funny considering this was meant to be a way for the Heart Pirates and the Kid Pirates to learn to get along. To be fair, pirates usually bonded fastest over competition and violence. 

Noon had come and gone and as the sun got lower in the sky, Law gauged they had about three hours of daylight remaining. This was the time they’d agreed to meet and the entire crew seemed to spot Kid’s ship headed to shore at the same time, judging by the sudden pause and then build up of frantic energy as they all scrambled to complete their final tasks. Law transported himself to the top of Ikkaku’s rig, sitting off to the side of the massive bundle of knots as he watched the tide push the Kid Pirates ever closer to shore. “Let the ruckus begin,” he mused aloud, a grin stretching over his features. 

For their part, Kid’d crew was just as riled up as Law’s. Once all the bed frames had been finished, they’d alternated between continuing to improve their new base and preparing for what their Captain assured them was going to be the party of the century. The most important thing they needed to complete beforehand was a massive, rough hewn wooden table that would act as the centerpiece for the whole event, something large enough to comfortably seat every member of both crews. As it sat currently, it was broken into seven different sections all scattered across the top deck of their ship for transport.

Beyond that, Kid had extolled his men to the same extent Law had - they had to have more adventurous food, bring the tastiest alcohol, thoroughly whoop their asses in the friendliest manner possible while sparring. They had to find the line between typical pirate posturing and forging an actual connection with the rival crew and though Kid didn’t phrase it in exactly those terms he did his best to get that idea across to his men. Long term, he knew he couldn’t have whatever it was he was building with Law if they didn’t assuage the worry of their crews first.

Though they’d all been rightfully dubious at first none of the Kid Pirates could really turn down a raucous party. The general atmosphere on deck was easy, his men more focused on the feast and fighting to be had, rather than the specifics of who they were having it with - that was one thing about his crew Kid had always appreciated; they took just about everything in stride with a shrug and a willing nod. All of them except Killer (and to a lesser extent, Heat and Wire) at least.

Yara had been the trickiest little cog to place properly and Kid had known that would be the case from the moment he and Law had landed on this little idea. She was going to want to come and in no way, shape, or form was Kid ready to let her. He’d initially planned on rotating through a couple sitters, or drawing lots to see who stayed behind, but before he could even begin hashing out the specifics of it himself, Mosh and Wrench had stepped up, as usual, and volunteered themselves to stay with her. They were two of his quieter ones, who enjoyed most of their downtime either sleeping or working out - parties were never really their thing. 

So they stayed back at the base with Yara. Not that it had been an easy parting - some subset of Kid’s chest still ached as the sound of her brokenhearted wailing echoed in his ears. The tears hadn’t come until they’d boarded the ship without her, Mosh holding her struggling little form as gently as he could in his arms while she screamed her sadness out at her brother through a face covered in snot and saltwater. Yara had wanted to come, of course she had. She’d spent every waking second of the last two days demanding that she get to, bossy in her usual way, confident that she was brave and smart and tough and that she’d always gone to all their parties before and why would this be any different? 

But as much as he had agreed - of course you’re brave and smart and tough, you always have been - there was no way Kid was ready to take the risk of Law knowing of her existence yet. He didn’t even have proof their crews would mesh yet, had only spent a few sporadic hours with Law here and there, they hadn’t even shared a bed for a night yet, only a nap in a nest. There was no way Law had earned enough trust to meet his sister yet. 

Trying to explain that to her hadn’t gone well. 

When the bossiness hadn’t worked by the end of day one, Yara reverted to the cold shoulder with Kid and big, wide eyes full of hope with Killer. Crossed arms and a pout that could move mountains, while certainly capable of pulling on heartstrings and weighing Kid down even further with guilt, had no effect on either Captain or Second when it came to the already determined outcome of her attendance. The tears had just wound up icing on the shit cake for Kid, leaving him sick in the pit of his stomach as they departed that afternoon.

When Kid had asked Killer to plan a party of their own for the very next night, the blonde had agreed without a second of hesitation. Kid knew that it wouldn’t make everything better, but it was the best he could offer her. It was rare that he felt so awful about anything, but this was certainly one of those times. A bit melancholy as he looked out over the railing, Kid wrapped his hands around the wood and grimaced, shaking his head as though that could dislodge the feeling. 

She was nine. She was a little girl. This whole event was really just a tentative, potentially explosive attempt at some sense of alliance, or at least truce, that only came disguised as a party. It was not an appropriate place for her. Kid was certain he’d made the right choice in banning her attendance but even that knowledge didn’t make him feel any better about it. As though Killer could sense his Captain’s distress - because of course he could - the other man came up at that moment to clap Kid hard on the shoulder, curling his fingers around his captain’s muscled skin, “You’re here. Might as well have fun.”

Breathing out through his nose, Kid then sighed softly and nodded, running his hand through his hair. Killer was right - at the very least, his men would catch on if he was anything but fully invested throughout the night and that could easily derail the whole shindig from achieving its intended goal. Yara would be okay, this wasn’t the first time he’d made a decision in her best interest that she was nonetheless uninterested in or unhappy about. He’d make it up to her. 

It was on the tail end of that thought that he caught sight of Law, sitting proud and aloof out of reach of his crew, perched on some strange contraption they’d constructed on the beach. Of course the dark haired man would start this whole thing off with something large and seemingly preposterous - Kid was curious to see what the structure’s intended purpose was. As their ship came in as close to the beach as it could manage, Kid called the order for anchor to drop and disembarking to begin. 

For his part, the redhead’s flashy little show of arrival consisted of him utilizing the metal corner caps on each piece to levitate all seven sections of the table at once and lovingly, if a bit aggressively, floating them across the open water before dropping them, in perfect order, along the open stretch of beach that had obviously been reserved for it. They made a very resounding thud as they hit the ground. The sound pleased Kid to no end.

The Heart Pirates, used to their captain’s ability to move things around in a space at will, didn’t seem impressed or intimidated by the fact that the table had floated from the deck of Kid’s ship and dropped into the space they’d cleared for it. The ones closest to it seemed more impressed by its size, a few of them nodding in approval. Those who had been relegated to food duty headed below deck to retrieve what was stored in the belly of the Polar Tang, clearing the finished dishes out to make room for what remained.

Law didn’t move from his perch, one leg dangling as the other knee was propped up so he could lean against it, watching the events unfolding below. He could see the huge platters of prepared food and casks of what he assumed to be alcohol lined up on the deck of Kid’s ship. There was some tension as the two crews eyed each other, moving slower than necessarily to keep eye contact with their rivals-turned-potential-allies. 

He remained on his perch until the Kid Pirates docked and began disembarking. Law let himself fall forward fluidly then activated his power so he wouldn’t crash into the sand, transporting himself the 15 feet to the ground so he landed gracefully just in front of the swaying silks. Hands tucked in his pockets, Law approached the dock to meet Kid as he led his crew onto the beach.

Leaving Heat to oversee the movement of supplies, Kid headed toward shore at the head of his crew with Killer at his right hand. He wanted his men to see that the two of them were friendly with the others, use their meeting with Law and Penguin - who had just scuttled up officiously behind his Captain - to model how this whole night could (and should, hopefully) go. 

Which, on second thought, meant he had to rethink his desired plan to greet Law by making his knees buckle with a hand in those close cropped locks and a wicked grin on his face. Damn it, but Kid hated a missed opportunity. With a grimace and a click of his tongue the taller man banished those thoughts from his head, refocusing on the task at hand - effectively commingling their people. 

As he reached Law he held out his hand, palm exposed in a clear offering for a handshake - something of a gentlemen’s pirate tradition, at this point. “Beach doesn’t look half bad,” he commented with a grin, deciding to lead with a bit of kindness. To be honest, he couldn’t care less what the beach looked like, as enamored as he was with taking in the sight of Law before him, but he was trying to be good.

Though Law was far from unfamiliar with proper greetings, he opted to forego them so often he paused at the offered hand just a fraction longer than normal before extending his own to grip Kid’s. It was a strangely impersonal gesture considering how… intimate they’d been in the past, but he understood the necessity for appearances’ sake. “Thank you. We had new sand imported just for you,” he teased with a flash of a wicked grin before he released the redhead’s hand and looked over his shoulder for Penguin to approach and do the same with Killer. 

“Exactly the kind of thing we deserve,” Kid rejoined easily, grinning cheekily at Law before turning his head slightly to watch their seconds. Penguin was as squirrly as he was scrawny, giving Killer and him both a look that clearly telegraphed his displeasure. But it seemed he had some modicum of respect for his captain’s wishes, at least, because it was only a few seconds of hesitation before he took two quick steps forward and thrust his hand out in Killer’s general direction. “Welcome,” as he intoned the words, Penguin sounded so dour about it that Kid couldn’t help but snort in laughter. 

Penguin sounded roughly the way Killer felt. If this went well, then he could see the benefit of it but the Heart Pirates seemed a little… jumpy to really be good allies. They had fought well on Sabaody, though, and could clearly hold their own so Killer did his best to reserve judgement for later. He simply nodded, reaching out and squeezing the smaller man’s hand in a grip perhaps a bit harder than necessary. 

Frowning through the pain, Penguin channeled the sensation into the best glower he could muster. His best was still ineffective, but Kid gave him points for trying anyway. Formalities settled, the redhead turned back to look at his crew and shot them a wide grin, “Let’s show ‘em how the Kid Pirates party!” The ensuing roar of agreement that got from his men could very easily have been taken as a battle cry by just about anyone.

Once the initial moment of greeting passed, Law patted Penguin’s shoulder in encouragement. His second let out the breath he seemed to have been holding this whole time and squared his shoulders to face the onslaught of Kid Pirates approaching with a bounty of food and drink. Belatedly, Law realized Shachi or Jean Bart might have been better suited to this; Penguin was usually so laid back that he was trying a little too hard to be serious in the face of the task he’d been given. The other two were more used to being the responsible ones. 

Nonetheless, he seemed to relax into his task easily enough and the Kid Pirates were surprisingly easy direct, though Law doubted it was due to any actual willingness to be cooperative and more eagerness to get the party started. Seeing that everything was well in hand, Law approached Kid and stood on his right side with his arms crossed casually. “Looks like you went all out. I’m flattered.”

A wry chuckle filled the air around them, Kid reaching out to loop his arm around Law’s waist with an easy kind of confidence and pull the other man in close against him, hand wrapped over Law’s slender hip in a grip certainly tight enough to be purposeful. “Says the man who built some weird fabric thing just for the occasion,” his comment came warm and light, more of a statement of fact than an actual tease. As of right now, Kid was feeling at ease. His men were busy unloading the ship and willingly accepting the offered help from Law’s crew; it was a good start to the evening.

“Oh, that wasn’t for you,” Law replied immediately, leaving his arms crossed even as he willingly leaned into Kid’s side. It was easy affection and he didn’t feel the need to shy away from it even in the face of all these people watching. Let his crew see that he was in (mostly) good hands. It could only bode well. “Ikkaku likes to tie herself up in it. She usually does it on the ship, but since the party is on the beach she had that built so she could show off.”

Law’s choice of phrasing immediately caught Kid’s attention and the gears in his head started turning out new ideas almost immediately, “Yeah, but it’d be even prettier if you let me tie you up in it.” The idea of Law bound and at his mercy had drifted across his thoughts once or twice before but adding in the concept of doing it so freely, so blatantly in a public place… fuck if that didn’t add an entire other layer to the whole thing.

There were a lot of things Law could say to that, but it was way too early to suggest slipping away to indulge Kid - he wasn’t about to do anything so public with his crew around. Instead, he shifted so he was standing in front of the redhead, squinting up at his face while the sun burned brightly over his shoulders. Law did his best to affect an air of innocence, which admittedly wasn’t his best look, before he spoke. “You think I’m pretty?”

The guffaw that escaped Kid then was immediate, huffed out without conscious thought as a grin broke across his face and he started to shake his head, “Prettiest thing I’ve ever seen.” Reaching out he twirled a strand of Law’s hair around his finger, playing along even as he tugged on it gently, “Gonna grace me with those long legs in a skirt one of these days?”

Completely dropping the act, Law snorted and stood up straight again, rolling his shoulders in a careless shrug. “Sure, you got one I can borrow?” It was easy enough to tease like this, the sounds of their crews starting to mingle as they completed set up for the bonfire fading to background noise as he was focused solely on the taller man before him.

While it would be easy to shoot back at Law that he was the one with a chick on his crew, Kid couldn’t bring himself to dismiss Yara like that; she was a member of his crew, too. So he went with the other easy - and truthful - answer, “Mine are called kilts.” Though there wasn’t much from his home island he was fond of, even he had to admit that on a really hot day, the breeze was nice. 

“Kilts...” Law repeated thoughtfully, somehow not surprised that Kid’s wardrobe included something like that . They weren’t worn in the North Blue but Law knew what they were and had seen them on occasion in the early islands of the Grand Line. “I’d give it a shot, but I doubt any of your clothes would fit me.”

“Probably not, but we could try,” Kid was game for pretty much anything and he wouldn’t mind seeing Law fit into or one of the two kilts he owned. Whether it wound up around his waist or on the floor, either one would be a good look. He still hadn’t been able to shake the sensation from the last time they were together, when he was still half dressed and Law was fully nude, of how in control he’d felt, the sensation of sheer domination over the other man it had given him.

“Not that I think it would matter if it stayed on or not…” Law added with a sly grin before he shifted his position once more so he was standing at Kid’s side and surveying their crews. Having more or less settled in, the Heart Pirates took up one side of the massive table while the Kid Pirates occupied the other. There was conversation, but none of it intermingled and Law sighed. “We’re going to have to show them how this is done.”

As he gazed over the scene before him Kid only rolled his eyes, taking in the sight for a moment before grunting his agreement to Law’s words and stepping forward. “Fuck, guys. What are you, afraid? Come on, mix this shit up,” as he shouted commands Kid physically helped his men carry them out, plucking every other one away from their spot at the table and sending them around to the other side. 

While Kid went to tend to their crews Law tapped in to one of the kegs and filled the nearest tankards. Figuring he might as well show his own commitment to this union between their crews, he sat next to Killer and slid one of the full tankards in front of him. “Truce?” he asked with a little smile as he curled his fingers around the handle of his own drink, tapping it against Killer’s in a brief toast before he took a sip.

Well then. Blinking a few times behind his mask, Killer held himself still as Trafalgar helped himself to the newly opened seat beside him and considered the many avenues his response could take. Though he didn’t actively participate in the little toast Trafalgar decided they were going to share he didn’t pull his drink away either, though he waited a beat before answering the question posited to him, “With you?”

Unconcerned with Killer’s less than enthusiastic response, Law leaned back in his seat and hooked the elbow of his free arm over the back of it while the other kept a grip on his drink. “That’s the point, isn’t it?” he asked lightly, though he was aware there was more than just this evening weighing on the blond’s mind.

“Point’s for the crew to get along,” the blond countered calm and stoic as usual, his regular countenance when he wasn’t in the midst of a fight. For all that he refused to really get in Kid’s way with this… thing, it was still his duty as blood brother to guard against someone hurting his captain. “I’m more’n just crew,” came the finishing thought.

Changing tactics, Law let himself lean in close to Killer. He was aware that the crew around them - though momentarily distracted by the free-flowing drink - were keeping an eye on the interaction between the two of them. He really did want this to work, and for that to be the case he couldn’t step too hard on Killer’s toes. “I don’t think I personally intimidate you,” he observed, speaking lowly so as not to be overheard. “But something must, otherwise you wouldn’t be so worried about the time I spend with your captain. So what is it?”

That brought Killer pause, caught off guard by Trafalgar switching from such a cavalier attitude to being so genuinely serious all the sudden. Huffing out a sigh he reached for his drink, plucked a straw from one of his pockets, and dropped it into the amber liquid before poking it through one of the bottom holes in his mask to take a sip. He too was aware of the eyes on him and his need to be the example.

He didn’t respond until he’d swallowed a few mouthfuls of the brew, mildly encouraged by the fact it actually tasted pretty good. As he let the straw fall from his drinking hole he turned to face Trafalgar, studying him for a moment before deciding - with some trepidation - to respond with at least a partial truth, “I don’t trust you t’treat him right.”

Narrowing his eyes, Law did his best to read what he could from Killer’s posture. It was all the more difficult because he couldn’t see the other man’s face, but Law was fairly certain there was more to it than that. “You’re his blood brother. You wouldn’t trust anyone to do that. There’s something deeper.” 

Nosy little fuck, wasn’t he? Killer could appreciate the persistence, even as it annoyed him. Using the pretense of taking another drink to buy himself a little more time, Killer took a couple deep droughts before setting the mostly empty tankard back on the table. “You’re a ghost,” that had been one of the first things that stood out, after all. The first thing that ever gave him pause about Trafalgar, even before he was getting himself personally mixed up with Kid. Why wasn’t there anything know about his history?

There was an almost visceral reaction Killer’s words elicited in Law, so much so he nearly choked on his drink trying to hold back a bitter, humorless laugh. That was the most accurate assessment of him he’d ever heard, and he was fairly certain Killer didn’t even know it. Once he’d sufficiently cleared his throat, Law leaned back in his seat again, the emotion Killer’s astute judgment having brought up in him giving a crazed edge to his previously casual demeanor. “I’m as alive as you are,” he commented, wondering if the blond would elaborate.

“Then where’s your history?” this time, the response was lightning quick, all of Killer’s attention fully focused on Trafalgar. He could tell that something about his comment threw the other man for a loop and that made him all the more dogged in his determination to get a satisfying answer to that question. Knowing that, if you knew where to look, Kid’s past was as easy to read as a book made him even more protective in this case.

There was a very small part of Law that wanted to tell the truth. Wanted to throw it in Killer’s face and see how he would respond. How far had the fate of Flevance reached? Would the name be meaningless to those living on the other side of the world? But whether he knew about the White City or not, it wouldn’t end there. Law would have to explain more than he would ever be prepared to so he just shook his head. “...I grew up in Spider Miles.” It wasn’t an outright lie and not something he minded sharing. 

Rolling the base of his tankard around on the table as he considered that bit of information, Killer eventually chose to click his tongue softly. While it was a previously unknown piece of information, it still didn’t actually fill in any blanks about this dangerous, potentially unhinged man, “An’ we come from Centaurea. Doesn’t tell you anything about us.”

Law wanted to be a little annoyed that Killer was prying far more than Kid ever had, but that was his own fault for opening this particular door. He considered his options, finished off the rest of his drink and set the tankard down with a heavy thud that drew the attention of the men sitting closest to them. “I was raised by a Marine.”

If he’d been drinking at that point, Killer would have spit it out all over the inside of his mask. Thank the gods for small blessings. Though his mask hid the incredulousness otherwise clearly written across his face, Killer couldn’t fully keep it out of his voice, even though he only spoke one word, “Bullshit.”

There wasn’t any way to prove it, and Law didn’t really care to. All he wanted to do was give some bit of truth to help build a bridge between them. Law was smart enough to know there was no way to truly get close to Kid if Killer was adamantly against it. And it felt… important, somehow, even though Law hadn’t sought approval from anyone in a very long time. “Now you know approximately as much about my history as my own crew. Cheers.” With that, Law pushed the limits of his Room out just as far as the keg so he could refill his drink.

Huffing softly, Killer forced his posture to relax as he took another sip of his drink. While it didn’t really _tell_ him anything, it was still something more than they’d known before. He had to give Trafalgar credit for offering anything at all. And, at least, now he had a home island to target his research on. 

As his gaze shifted just in time to see Trafalgar’s mug refill itself, Killer sighed and halfheartedly lifted his own tankard toward the other man for a moment in a return of the toast from earlier. “You keep this up, you’re gonna owe him more than that,” this time it wasn’t a warning, or an attempt to probe any further. In Killer’s mind, it was just a statement of fact.

It had occurred to Law before that he likely already knew things about Kid that the other wanted to keep to himself and that it was a huge imbalance between them. He knew it would come up if he kept going this way and the fact that he wasn’t already running the opposite direction meant that his subconscious knew what he wanted long before his brain had realized it. “...I don’t like being in debt,” Law murmured. 

Finally finishing off his drink, Killer sighed as he pushed the empty container across the table and let the soft scrub of metal on wood fill the air between them, “Well, y’are.” As far as Killer was concerned, Trafalgar owed Kid the same amount of honesty and vulnerability that the redhead showed himself and to be real about the whole thing, his captain could sometimes be a little too honest.

“...good talk,” Law replied as he pushed himself up. Though it sounded sarcastic, there was some truth to it. They were probably the most stable they could be for the moment and there was more to do than suck up to Kid’s best friend. Thumping his tankard on the table until he had the attention of forty-some pairs of eyes, Law broke out into a smug grin. “You know, I was promised some entertainment from the Kid Pirates that would knock me on my ass, and I seem to still be standing…”

The swelling roar that rushed in to protest that statement grew so loud it drowned out all other sound. It took only moments for drinks to be slammed down on the table, food to be pushed out of the danger zone, and five or so little groups to form, all vying for Law’s attention as various strong men competitions broke out. It was quite the sight for a moment until Kid’s voice, confident and cocky, broke through the clamor, “Not exactly, Law. I said I’d be the one knocking you on your ass for entertainment.”

“That so?” The clamoring came to almost an immediate end, silence stretching between the two captains except for the crackling of the bonfire as it ate its way through kindling. “Why don’t we have a tournament, then? And for the grand finale, you can knock me on my ass for entertainment,” Law paused then, his own expression taking on a cocky air, “if you can catch me first.”

Baring his teeth in vicious excitement, Kid’s eyes glowed with the thrill of a promised chase, “You’re on.” He could go for a good bout of chase me, chase me. Something like that was likely to turn into a wrestling match and he knew without a shadow of a doubt that was something he’d win. So it was with a hand on one hip and a grin splitting across his face that he responded, “What rules we playing by?”

Considering the men watching him, Law deliberated for a few long seconds before he replied. “Our crews will pair off until everyone has a match. They can decide what kind of fight they want; hand to hand, a drinking match, whatever. We can pair them by title or skill; I’ll leave that up to you.” It would probably be unfair to pit Penguin against Killer, but Law knew enough to know Kid’s crew wouldn’t want to test their skills against someone who was not at least evenly matched. He trusted Kid would make the decision to make the pairs based on similar skill sets, but he didn’t want to appears as though he was trying to railroad the entire night.

That was an easy choice, “Skill. Kill and your bird go hand to hand and we’ll be scraping the sparrow out of the dirt.” Of course he wasn’t going to give up any opportunity to brag about his best friend, even regarding a situation that would be so clearly unmatched. Not to mention it was fun to take a bit of a dig at the Heart Pirates’ second-in-command; the little man hadn’t always been the most welcoming, now had he?

Sparing a glance at Penguin, Law could see a mix of relief and indignation on his face quieted by the cheers and banging of metal-bottomed tankards on the heavy wooden table. “You sure they wouldn’t agree on a friendly spelling bee?” Law countered, chuckling a little at his own joke. “Well? You heard him - find someone worthy to challenge!” 

At his command a flurry of conversation broke out again, this time more eager than before as each one of their crew looked for an opponent to face off against. Law overheard challenges for the standard fare; drinking, arm wrestling, fighting. Some were more creative; swimming, races down the length of the beach, fiddling. It was certainly promising to be a fulfilling evening.

Wending his way through the assembled crews, Kid helped encourage appropriate parings and generally assist in coming up with additional contest ideas until he finally found himself beside Law again, clearly riding high on the excitement of it all. Just as easily as before he threw his arm around Law’s waist, turning his chin up to steal a kiss before speaking, “So what’s our challenge?”

“I told you: you have to catch me. I won’t even use my power.” The easy affection was already growing on Law and he pressed his side against Kid’s from shoulder to hip. “If you manage, you can decide if you want to knock me on my ass in public or in private,” he added in a lower tone, lifting his head to meet Kid’s gaze again, his own eager and hungry.

“What if I want both?” though Kid countered with words, the way he turned into Law’s body to bring them closer together and subsequently dug his nails into the soft skin of the smaller man’s hip made it clear that he did have a preference for one of the options. “You did look good all purple,” leaning down to brush his lips across the shell of Law’s ear, the smirk on Kid’s face didn’t need to be seen to be heard, “maybe I’ll see just how bruised I can get you.”

“Don’t get too excited,” Law cautioned, shifting to put a small amount of space between them. “I’m very fast.” He spoke as though it wasn’t obvious they wanted the same things, as though he wouldn’t willingly give Kid what he wanted regardless of who won their match.

“That’ll just make winning sweeter,” refusing to let Law put too much distance between them he crouched down just low enough wrap his arms around the other’s slender hips and pulled Law up, guiding the spotty legs around his waist and capturing his lips in a longer, deeper kiss this time before he pulled back to whisper in Law’s ear again, “Besides, I can tell y’wanna get caught.”

Though he let himself be picked up, Law didn’t sink into the grip Kid had on him quite as much as he wanted to. He didn’t necessarily mind an audience, it was just this particular audience that gave him pause. “You know, you might as well fuck me on the table considering the way your guys are staring at me,” he murmured once Kid had broken the kiss. Several of their crew were still working out the finer details of their respective challenges, but an almost equal number were openly staring at the two captains like they had somehow merged together to form some unholy conglomerate being they couldn’t make sense of.

That got a low chuckle from Kid, his head darting up briefly so he could look around at the assembled audience. He knew that for his men this was a bizarre sight and figured by the looks on their faces it must have been one for Law’s, too, but that kind of made him just want to keep going. But on the other hand, maybe it was a bit too soon in the evening for that, “Not yet, we should let ‘em get drunk, first.”

Grunting his disagreement, Law pressed the palms of his hands against Kid’s shoulders and shifted in his grip. “Put me down, you don’t get me until you catch me,” Law demanded and though part of his response came from a desire to be taken seriously by the crew (letting Kid manhandle him would give the impression he was easy to order around and he didn’t like that), the fact that he didn’t forcibly remove himself from the hold the other man had on him made it clear enough it was mostly just for show.

The thought that Law was cute when he played at being stern like this flitted through Kid’s mind and it just made his grin widen. But after a moment he obeyed, lightly dropping his future conquest back onto his feet. For reasons Kid was unsure of it was so simple to be affectionate with Law like this, regardless of who was watching. Well… maybe that was only true because Yara wasn’t here, but he’d figure that piece of it out later.

Straightening his clothes, Law moved to perch on the edge of the table to oversee their joint crews. Jean Bart seemed to be a much sought-after opponent as those of Kid’s crew who wanted the greatest challenge chose the largest man to compete against. The former captain appeared exasperated by all the attention until Killer finally put an end to it and said he’d be the larger man’s opponent. Now that they had a reason to intermingle, it seemed to come much more naturally to them. 

Though it was early still, Kid was pleased by how things had started. Before too much longer they’d all paired off two by two and the sounds floating across the beach became discordant, grunts as those choosing to fight began to warm up, intermingled with the sounds of various musical instruments being tuned, all joined by the soft sound of Ikkaku’s silks flapping in the breeze. Part of him wanted to suggest they all eat first, but he wasn’t entirely sure if that idea would go over well; usually, once a pirate crew caught the competition bug nothing would get in their way. 

One of the more bold members of Law’s crew, Ikkaku joined the two captains at the head of the table before too long. “So is this just going to be a free-for-all, or are we going to take turns? I, for one, would love to watch Jean Bart beat the shit out of the Massacre Soldier.” She was completely unperturbed by the fact that Kid could easily hear her, so much so that she turned and winked at the redhead with a sly grin as she waited for the reply.

“We could turn it into dinner and a show,” Kid posited to Law, tone lazy. Unconcerned with Ikkaku’s mouth, the burlier man only flashed her a grin of his own before responding with a casual shrug, “You’ll have to be dreaming for that one.” While he was certain Jean Bart would be a formidable opponent, Killer had taken men bigger than him before and to be frank, his second was probably a better hand to hand fighter than he was - Kid had gotten somewhat reliant on his power but Killer had never had the benefit of a Devil Fruit.

There were some pirate crews that held to a somewhat rigid structure. Some of those crews didn’t allow a non-ranking member to speak with a captain directly; they had to follow the chain of command. The Heart Pirates were not one of those crews, which was why she was so happy to follow Law. However, not knowing what kind of structure the Kid Pirates had posed something of a risk. 

It was a little test of her own, to see if this other captain would allow what some might see as insubordination fly. The fact that he didn’t seem to care at all made Ikkaku like him; in her mind, there was little room for those kinds of rules among pirates. “If that’s the case, captain,” Ikkaku interrupted before Law could reply, gesturing at the rig she’d set up, “I could be the opening act. Can’t really promise I’ll be any good after my challenge; I’m gonna drink some twiggy guy called Hex under the table.” 

Kid’s eyebrow quirked in interest as Law nodded his agreement to Ikkaku’s words and started corralling their respective crews into something akin to order, encouraging them to all come and stuff their faces as their fellows provided the mealtime entertainment. As the suggestion was met with a hearty cheer Kid only laughed softly to himself, shaking his head in amusement as he spoke to Ikkaku, “Curious to see what you’re gonna do up there.”

“I’m going to tie myself up and fall,” Ikkaku replied without pause, grinning as she pushed away from the table and approached the flowing fabric. She paused to step out of the boiler suit uniform of the Heart Pirates, tossing the fabric playfully over Penguin’s head. Though she was still fully dressed underneath, she still got the attention of some of the Kid Pirates who whistled teasingly. They were met with a middle finger as she turned her back and disappeared behind the fabric that only partially blocked her from view as the breeze blew through.  
Sliding up to a spot at the middle of the table, Kid crossed one foot over the other knee before placing his elbows on the rough hewn surface and turning his attention to the only woman in attendance. He hadn’t lied when he said he was curious - the concept as she described it seemed strange and perhaps a little exciting, if she really meant the “fall” part. Waiting for and expecting Law to take the free seat at his side, Kid reached out absently for a fresh tankard of drink as everyone began to settle and watch Ikkaku.

Law delayed in joining Kid as he knew Ikkaku wouldn’t be ready for another few minutes, at least from what little he could see of her, she was currently doing splits in the sand. He began to pass around the dishes that were already fully prepared. A huge boar was roasting on a spit over the now enormous bonfire, but Law knew well enough that this kind of gathering would need food throughout the night and so he started with the lighter fare. 

One of the dishes he casually passed down was a rich seafood broth with various root vegetables and the occasional fish eye that bobbed to the surface like a peeled grape before submerging once more. As the group of forty-odd men began to dig in to the platters that were pushed down the table, Law finally made his way to the open chair at Kid’s side. 

Not particularly hungry yet, Kid let most of the food pass him by. He’d been about to do the same with the stew until one of those fish eyes in question caught his attention. The timing worked out well, as Law chose to sit down at about the exact same time. “... Fish eyeball taste the same as yours would have?” he questioned, as innocuous in tone as he could possibly manage.

Law shrugged, not at all put off by the question. “Eyes all taste the same. They get their flavor from what they’re cooked in.” To demonstrate, Law caught one of the eyes between his fingers and pushed it past his lips without batting an eye of his own, biting into it with an audible pop. He chewed with a thoughtful expression, swallowing a moment later and shifting to rest his chin in his hand. “Tastes like salt with a hint of tomato and herbs. Unless you cooked it, mine would just taste meaty.”

Nodding a little, Kid swallowed quietly and decided he was glad he’d chosen to pass on the stew. Scrabbling to survive as they had, he and Killer had eaten worse but it didn’t mean he had any urge to indulge willingly. “Seems like a thing you’d eat,” came the offhand response, still determinedly casual. Not that he could fault Law for trying to weird him and his men out - they’d done the exact same thing, after all.

“They’re nutritious,” Law replied like it was obvious. There was something forced in Kid’s tone, and Law knew he’d succeeded at least a little. Those who had been close enough to see and hear what had transpired between the two captains pushed the stew away, pointedly not looking at it. Guess fish eyes weren’t a delicacy in the South after all.

Without waiting for any sort of introduction or even anyone’s attention, Ikkaku had gathered the two pieces of fabric and was in the process of climbing to the top of them. Instead of the usual hand-over-hand method most men would use to climb a rope, she held her right leg at an angle behind the fabric then pulled herself up using her arms.The top of her free foot moved to hook the trailing ends of the silk underneath the foot of her bent leg, looping it over the top before she stood on her right foot with her left. With the tails of the silks trapped around the bottom of her foot, she was able to balance on the little step she’d made and once she had straightened to stand fully and reset her arms she did it again. 

Her movements were fluid, made with practiced ease and she reached the top without any visible effort. With only a few feet remaining, she unwound her legs from the silk and held on with just her arms, flipping over in the air so she was dangling upside down before threading her legs back up and around the fabric, one on each side so that it helped support her weight.

Though Kid could tell that Law’s crew member had clearly spent a lot of time in the rigging of the Polar Tang to start learning this kind of thing, it did nothing to dampen his appreciation of what she was doing now. It was obviously elegant in a way they didn’t often come across as pirates and it held his attention rapt - he was curious as to what she’d be doing next.

As she held herself aloft with her legs wound around the silks, Ikkaku let go with her hands to cross the tails of the fabric behind her back then extended her arms in front so her weight was more supported by the cross at her back rather than just what was wound around her legs. Releasing her legs now that she was safely supported, Ikkaku reached up to hold on to the silks above her while still holding on to the loose ends, shimmying until the cross at her back moved under her hips so she could sit on it.

All that effort and it looked like she was simply sitting on a swing, legs dangling some twelve feet off the ground. The dangling fabric was deftly twisted around her left leg three times before she stuck her legs straight out as though she really meant to try and swing. Instead, Ikkaku held the position for a moment before letting go with her hands. The slack she had been holding on to released and she dropped a good four feet before the fabric tightened around her thighs and caught her there. 

Along with a good collection of the other men around him, Kid let out a little whoop of excitement as Ikkaku suddenly dropped from the sky. How in the hell she managed to stay upright was a question all of its own, but immediately the thought that Yara might find it fun to do something like that struck him. … She really should have another woman in her life, someone to teach her how to be a girl and stuff. It all suddenly reminded him how deathly afraid he was of the day she started her bleedings.

Even though the Heart Pirates had seen her messing around on deck before, there was something different about watching her show off now for a rival crew. They all cheered as she twisted herself out of the knots she’d made in the fabric, climbing back up and inverting all over again so she could tie herself into another configuration only to drop all over again. Sometimes forward, sometimes backwards, and on top of all that sometimes she made herself spin first so the tricks were that much more dramatic. 

It was fascinating to watch and Ikkaku had succeeded in capturing the attention of every Kid Pirate, though this time none of their focus was on her as a woman, but rather all the cool things she could do. A few of them had already made up their minds to ask her to teach them while others were busy grumbling about how she certainly didn’t look that strong. But through it all their Captain himself was just grinning, focused on the show, hooting and hollering for her right along with her own crew. 

After ten minutes of solid flips and tricks, Ikkaku knotted the fabric around her feet and crossed one ankle on top of the opposite knee. The right side of the fabric ran up her back and she pulled it out over her shoulders like a cocoon as she sat in the air only a few feet off the ground, breathing heavily but beaming at her performance and the rapt attention she held from both crews. 

The combination of foot stomps, clapping, and yelling lasted for a solid three minutes following her final move before Penguin, beaming from ear to ear with pride in his girlfriend, quietly made his way to the hanging fabric and waited for her to come down so he could escort her back to the table. He was so lucky someone as talented and strong as her was interested in him.

Gravity felt different in the air, and after being held aloft for so long Ikkaku always felt a little wobbly coming back to solid ground again. Not to mention she was exhausted, so she appreciated the assistance from Penguin. Leaning into him as they made their way back, Ikkaku surveyed the rowdy group of men around the table before she turned to him, speaking quietly, “This reaction is real, right? They’re not being sarcastic? ...Didn’t think a bunch of muscle heads would actually think what I did was impressive.” 

Blinking out at the crowd for a moment, Penguin’s features immediately tugged into a frown - he hadn’t even considered for one second that they might be mocking her or being rude. The very idea of it made him want to walk up to their captain and punch him in the face and it was only Ikkaku’s weight on his side that stopped him from storming off to do so. “... I’m gonna hit them if it’s not!” his teeth were clenched as he hissed out a warning nobody but Ikkaku could hear.

As they approached the table, a few of the men shifted around to offer her the closest spot so she could sit and rest. There was a buzz running through the gathering, as though they were just waiting for her to get seated before it suddenly all erupted, the compliments and questions coming in one right after the other - the commingled jumble of “That was awesome, how did you do that, will you teach me?” echoing back and forth across the wooden surface.

Ikkaku could feel Penguin relax at her side and her question was answered. It wasn’t the entire crew that was interested in learning, but they all seemed genuine in their appreciation of her odd talent even if they didn’t have any desire to replicate it for themselves. But for those who did want to learn, Ikkaku considered the requests before shutting them up with a smug proposal. “I’ll teach whoever wants to learn as long as you win your challenge.” 

It was almost as if they had forgotten there was other entertainment to be had that night. At least, until she chose to remind them. The uproar ensued again, though this time it was focused on who was going next and what order things should be done in. Leaving their crews to figure it out, Kid chuckled and tilted his head back to watch the summer sun waning in the sky as he spoke, “I might wanna play with that once I catch you.”

“Yeah?” Law found himself distracted by the flurry of action. Bepo began lining stones in a circle to mark out a fighting pit in the sand in preparation of the no less than seven matches their crews had lined up for the evening. The two groups who had boasted their swimming skills were already throwing off their heavy boots and outer layers in preparation while a line of mugs full of ale and other alcohol lined up between the eight who had decided to have a drinking contest. “Maybe you should. Might be funny to watch you fall on your face.” 

Clicking his tongue distastefully at his companion, Kid rolled his eyes, “I didn’t say I was gonna try to do her shit.” Though Kid was not a man who was fully aware of his own limitations, he could recognize a few here and there and he most certainly was not flexible enough for some of the things she had pulled off. But he was strong enough to lift himself up the fabric like she had and he wanted to mess with it a little.

“And deprive me of my amusement?” Law asked, crossing his arms in mock affront as he turned away from the ruckus to face the redhead. “You know, you’re louder than me and I think this circus could use a ringleader. Otherwise everything’s going to happen at once and I’d hate to miss out on watching your guys get mauled by a polar bear.”

“You mean watching your polar bear get knocked out and used as a furry blanket by my crew?” even as he spoke Kid launched into action, pushing back from the table only to leap on top of it with one last parting shot at Law, “Yeah, I’m here for that too.” Straightening to his full, considerable height, Kid started stamping his foot on the wood until he’s caught everyone’s attention and the cacophony had died down. That done the orders came quick and easy, Kid arranging the order of events in a round - so there would be one fight, followed by one drinking competition, followed by one swimming contest, followed by… and so on and so forth, until they ran out of unique events and started over.

Law found that this pattern of quiet followed by a swell of energy dying down into peace as they figured out the order of events throughout the night was actually kind of funny. Some of the crew were complaining that they just wanted to get the show on the road, Kid Pirates commiserating with Heart Pirates as they were told once more to hurry up and wait. It certainly hadn’t taken long for them to get used to each other.

Now with some idea of what to expect, those who were fighting drew lots to determine what order they would go. The match between Jean Bart and Killer was unanimously agreed upon to be the last one as a sort of grand finale. There were no rules other than the ones each pair decided to abide by, if any. They all agreed to leave weapons out of the equation in the spirit of this being a way for them to learn to get along; accidental disembowelment would make that goal difficult. 

The swimmers, musicians, drinkers, and other sundry acts all agreed to their rules - or lack thereof - and eagerly awaited their turns to compete. And so as the night started in earnest, everyone spurred on by Ikkaku’s show of athleticism, contest after contest began taking place. Though he would jeer when one of Law’s men bested one of his, Kid’s tone and demeanor through the whole event made it clear he was in a good mood, sense of camaraderie well in place. Of course, when it was one of his crew that won Kid’s shouts of approval were the loudest of the bunch; that’s just who he was as a captain.

It wasn’t quite an even split as the night wore on, but it was damn close. Law’s crew were mostly trained in stealth and used their numbers to their advantage in a fight so they didn’t offer much in the way of outright strength. Strength didn’t always mean much when Law had taught his crew about various pressure points and dirty ways of fighting, which was how his comparably smaller crew members were able to come out on top in three of the seven fights in spite of being the physically weaker bunch. 

In between the bouts, the conversation flowed as freely as the alcohol. By all accounts they were a well-matched crew; Law’s were mostly sarcastic pranksters who paired nicely with Kid’s group of rowdy troublemakers. They entertained themselves with taunts and jokes, most of which the other side found amusing rather than offensive. The underlying factor was that they both had laid back crews who were hoping to have a good time and were working toward that common goal. The night wasn’t over yet, but it was shaping up to be a success.

As the night wore on, it came to fruition that Heat bested Uni in a race to climb the tallest tree edging in the beach, Clione out-cooked Bolt in their twenty minute beachfront dessert challenge, and Bepo managed - to Kid’s chagrin - to defeat Grudge in hand-to-hand combat. By the time there were only two contests left to be had, Kid’s own with Law and Killer’s with Jean Bart, just about all the food was gone and most everyone was well and truly wasted, as a pirate crew at a party ought to be. 

The leftovers scattered across the table spoke very clearly to why they were left over - interspersed alongside the North Blue’s fish eye stew and hard boiled duck fetus eggs were similar specialties from the South, including sheep’s stomach stuffed with offal and sausage made of coagulated blood. The crews had enjoyed taking the piss out of one another with their odd offerings and had mostly agreed to bond over more common, normal fair. 

And so when it came time and Killer and Jean Bart both arose from their seats to head toward the ring, Kid slammed his tankard down on the table with such force he cracked it completely down one side. Not one to give a shit about the booze now dripping down between the cracks in the table to splatter on his boots, Kid shoved himself to his feet and began thumping the table with both hands as he started bellowing out encouragement to his first mate, “Kick his fuckin’ ass Killer, nobody faces the fuckin’ Massacre Soldier and fuckin’ gets out of it with a fuckin’ win!”

Though it wasn’t unusual for Law to drink, it was unusual for him to get drunk as he was now. His usual tactic to quietly watch and comment wryly on each competition changed with each drink until he found he was almost as loud as Kid was. “All you have to do is sit on him, Jean Bart! Look at that guy; he’s like a little baby rabbit compared to you.” Maybe not his most articulate encouragement, but like hell Law was going to let Kid outdo him.

For his part, Jean Bart was mostly sober, as was Killer. They both took their tasks seriously, which meant they had to have their motor functions under control. He glanced at his opponent and sighed. “It seems like this was a success, but I feel like that means we’ll get even less peace than when we were just rivals,” the larger man murmured in reference to the yelling coming from their captains. “First one out of the ring?” He asked then, confirming the rules they’d agreed to earlier.

Nodding in agreement to both the statement and the question presented to him, Killer rolled his head around on his neck and shrugged his shoulders a few times in a brief warm up, “Yeah.” He held no ill will against Jean Bart, or really anyone on that crew except Trafalgar, but he wasn’t about to go into the fight with anything but a conscious intention to win. “That’s our captains for you,” was the last wry comment he made before cracking his knuckles and stepping into the ring.

To say they were evenly matched was both true and false. Jean Bart was undeniably the stronger of the two, but his size made him slow. Killer fought with a sort of finesse and dexterity that complimented his own considerable strength perfectly. There were many near misses, Killer dancing around the edge of the ring to lure Jean Bart in close enough to try to make pushing him out easier. His opponent, on the other hand, was not as reckless as the blond and was smart enough to be difficult to lure. 

The fight between them lasted the longest of any thus far, primarily because of the conditions for winning but also due to the fact that they were the most sober - and therefore the most capable - men on the beach. While there was some poking, prodding, and a few nasty bruises left on each of them it was finally Killer who claimed victory with a well placed, lightning fast dive at Jean Bart’s ankles to take him out from the ground. 

As the concurrent cheers and jeers rose to flood the air again, Killer picked himself up and dusted off his hands before going to assist Jean Bart in rising from where the Massacre Soldier had managed to deposit him. Hearing his captain basically howling in victory behind him only made Killer smile behind the mask - as much as he’d always been supportive of Kid, Kid had done the same for him countless times. 

In spite of losing, Jean Bart took it well, accepting the assist to pull his knees up under him. “I should have proposed an arm wrestling contest instead,” he joked as he brushed the sand off his clothes. “That would have been more my speed.” 

Killer huffed out a laugh and gave the other man room to rearrange himself. “I like my limbs attached, thanks,” was all he managed to get out before he was nearly bowled over by his captain, who had thankfully remembered to remove his jacket so he wasn’t impaled by spikes as Kid hauled Killer up onto his shoulders in triumph.

Giddy with Killer’s win, Kid threw him up onto his shoulders in one fluid motion, standing tall again and roaring to celebrate his pleasure. That done he made his way back to the table and used one of the chairs as a step to launch both of them onto the top of it, taking up the chant the rest of his crew had started, “Kill-er! Kill-er! Kill-er!” 

Yet for all that the Kid Pirates were quite literally making a scene over his victory, none of it was meant to belittle his competitor. Many of the men in Kid’s crew had watched Jean Bart fight in awe and knew that it had been a close contest. A few of them had even gone up to the big man to share words of admiration and ask to see his muscles up close.

The Heart Pirates swarmed around Jean Bart as he made his way back to the table as well, offering their own encouragement and appreciation. Maneuvering around those clamoring for his attention, Penguin and Shachi rolled a full keg to Jean Bart, which he drank directly from now that he no longer had any reason to remain mostly sober - it was his turn to really join in on the fun now.

Atop his perch Killer soaked up the attention, reaching down to return fist bumps and flexing on demand while Kid walked the length of the table. Even some of the Heart Pirates lifted their drinks as a toast as they passed by. It was a jovial atmosphere in general, even if Kid could rather accurately be accused of pea-cocking.

Not that he cared, really. After spending a good ten minutes celebrating Killer’s victory Kid sank down to sit cross legged on the table and let Killer slip from his shoulders, tilting his head back to look affectionately up at his second as he loudly proclaimed, “I fucking love you.”

“Yeah you fucking do,” Killer agreed, reaching to aggressively ruffle Kid’s hair. “And I love you too, but you’ve got your own competition to win, don’t you?” Freed from his captain’s shoulders, Killer moved off the table and snatched up a tankard for himself before sinking down into the nearest empty seat.

As though he’d completely forgotten about that detail, Kid immediately perked up and shoved himself upright, looking around for Law as he started flexing his feet inside his boots, as though it would help him run faster, “I’ve got myself an ass to catch!” When he realized he was unable to locate Law from his current position, Kid heaved himself off the table only to bellow, “Law, bring that ass over here!”

It was incredibly tempting to use his power so that part of him was the only part he presented to Kid, but drunk as he was it seemed like more effort than he wanted to put in for a joke. “The whole point s’to make it difficult for you. Why would I jus’ come right to you?” he asked from where he was sitting between Jean Bart and Shachi at the other end of the table.

“Gotta… start equal foot…” pulling a face, Kid struggled for a moment more to find a good argument before scrapping that concept all together and just turning it into a demand instead, “Because I said so, dammit.” Patting down his own hair in a self-soothing gesture, Kid blinked a few times before shooting Law a wolfish grin, “Come on, s’time to go.”

“Time to go? Right now?” A slow, devilish smile spread across Law’s face as he raised his voice. “Ten minutes is what we agreed on, right?” Tucking his feet up under him on the seat of the chair, Law balanced on the balls of his feet but remained where he was. “Ok, then. Someone keep track of ten minutes. Ready, set, go.” With that he sprang up from his chair onto the table before turning and jumping back over the same way he’d just come, running toward the silks fanned out in the breeze. 

Blinking owlishly in surprise for a few seconds - Fuck, he was drunk, wasn’t he? - Kid stood stock still in confusion for a second before things suddenly sunk in and he jumped, darting forward like a freight train about to run off the rails. Big, powerful, and slightly slower than Law, the inebriated man nonetheless threw himself into the chase wholeheartedly, running after Law in the straightest line he could manage.

Running in the sand was not always the easiest thing while sober, and until now Law hadn’t realized just how drunk he was. While he didn’t fall on his face, he did stumble on the uneven surface a few times but had enough of a head start that he made it to the rig before Kid and jumped up onto the fabric forcefully. It was a little hard to climb with shoes on, but he’d gotten curious and practiced enough that after a moment of fumbling his body remembered what to do. Climbing this way was also faster than just climbing with his arms, so he’d almost reached the top before Kid could even reach the silk that trailed below him.

Looking up at the fabric dangling in the wind above him, Kid spared no thought for grace or finesse; what he had at his disposal was strength. It was brute force that got him up the silks, hand over hand with only little grunts of effort to accompany the movement. He knew that the moment he got up there Law would have some mechanism to get down, but if he didn’t follow him up the scrawny little man would just perch on top and wait out their time limit, so up he went, the smooth muscles in his bare arms highlighted by the moonlight glowing behind them. 

Law crouched up at the top, watching as Kid climbed hand over hand after him. It was an impressive display of strength, almost enough to distract him from the fact he was meant to be running. As Kid’s hands reached the top of the wooden beam, fingers curling over the wood to haul himself up, Law shimmied to the edge where the support beams were attached and waved at Kid over his shoulder before climbing down. There were small hand and foot supports in the sides of the beam so that Jean Bart and Penguin could easily get up as they were constructing it and Law used that to his advantage, climbing half way down before jumping the rest of the way to the sand.

Kid didn’t have the time or the inclination to chase after Law the way he’d gone. Instead he just let go of his grip on the support beam, dropping about six and a half feet before grabbing the silks between his hands and yanking himself to an abrupt stop. From there it was easy enough to just touch his feet to the ground and take off after Law again, wending his way in between their assembled crews with more dexterity than one might have initially given him credit for. He was not losing to Law, not this time. 

“Captain, don’t watch, run!” At least three different voices belonging to the Heart Pirates yelled out as Kid jumped down. Law had paused to watch him, several feet away, but close enough that Kid could have reached him in three bounding steps. At the reminder he grinned and bolted back in the direction of the fire, using the smoke and heat as an additional barrier between them. 

In response the Kid Pirates broke out into a flurry of shouted directions and encouragement - if Law’s crew got to help their captain, so did they. It was Hex, drunk as fuck and absolutely akimbo in his seat following his agreed upon tie with Ikkaku that shouted out the most useful piece of information as Kid tried to track Law through the smoke and light, “To the left, Captain, he dodged back around!”

“Hey, that’s interference!” Ikkaku yelled in disagreement, swiping Penguin’s hat off his head and shoving it down around Hex’s eyes so he couldn’t see to give more direction. It tipped Law off to Kid’s movements as well, and he doubled back the way he’d come, leaving the roaring bonfire between them.

“You guys started it!” protesting loudly, Hex went to yank the hat off his head. Yet as he paused to breath a scent caught his attention and he pressed the fabric in against his nose instead, a dopey smile coming across his face as he spoke, “Hey, smells good in here…”

Deciding there was no better way than through Kid just shook his head, perhaps let his drunken mind make decisions it shouldn’t, and started running straight for the fire. At its center it was far too tall and hot to make it through, but he could cut off some time if he leap across where it began to die down into embers. 

“Don’t be fucking gross! Give me that back!” Penguin growled, reaching across Ikkaku so he was practically in her lap to tug it off Hex’s head, his own hair sticking up oddly as he fought to preserve the innocence of his hat. 

Leaning back to give him room to move, Ikkaku absently tried smoothing Penguin’s hair down, gaze trailing back to where Kid and Law were still dancing around the flames. “...does it look like Captain Kid is about to jump through the fire?” she wondered aloud. “That’d be pretty fucking bad ass…”

As though on cue Kid chose that moment to throw himself through the flames. They were only about two feet tall where he’d chosen to cross and though they licked at his boots and the fabric of his pants, nothing on his person actually caught aflame. Landing on the other side, Kid took a knee for a moment before looking up to smirk at his prey, catching his eyes and holding him captive with just a look as he rose to his feet, the bonfire crackling behind him.

The roar of approval that came from the crew gathered around the table nearly drowned out Law’s awed murmur of “Fuck,” before he turned and ran the other direction. In a straight race, Law was technically faster. But Kid was powerful and they were already closer together than he would have liked. 

He didn’t have to look behind him to know how near Kid was, he could hear it in the way the sand shifted. Counting on his dexterity, Law threw himself to the side, knowing that Kid would have to either skid to a stop or would fall over trying to turn on a dime as he just had. He rolled a few times before he was able to pull himself back up to his feet, charging toward the table off to Kid’s right.

At their captain’s decision to make that turn by using a nearby member of the Heart Pirates as a counterbalance, grabbing the hapless man’s arm and using it almost like a pole so he could swing around him and change direction, another uproar of approval echoed through the air. It didn’t let Kid gain any ground on Law, but it stopped him from losing too much either. 

Both crews were cheering loudly at their captain’s respective moves. Law had managed to put enough distance between them that Kid couldn’t grab him easily, but there wasn’t nearly as much as he would have liked. Seeing a gap at the table where there where a few empty chairs, Law tossed them aside and crawled underneath. Kid was too big to fit and given there were seven sections to the table he wouldn’t necessarily know exactly where Law was. It would at least cause some confusion to his whereabouts and potentially give him the chance to put more distance between them.

Already hyped up and feeling powerful, Kid viewed the table as nothing but an inconvenience. Without warning anyone scattered around it, the moment Kid reached the edge of the table he wrapped his hands around the outside edge and heaved, throwing the whole thing - dishes, food, beer, and all - over onto its other side, exposing Law and trapping him in close. With a grin Kid began to close in, heat in his eyes as he spoke, “Found you.”

Those sitting on the other side of the table had only seconds to dive out of the way before the table was flipped over onto them. Luckily Kid had only up-ended it and didn’t actually throw it anywhere so no one’s legs were crushed by wayward wood, but the same couldn’t be said for the beer and food that had been thrown. Groans filled the air as those who were now soaked through with various liquids and other sundry leftovers trudged away from the table to wash off in the ocean.

There hadn’t been enough time for Law to start moving down the length of the table, so the section that Kid tipped over was still the one he was using for shelter. The top of the table cut off his retreat out the other side, and he’d just look like an idiot if he tried to crawl beneath another part of the table. Kid was too close to avoid, anyway. Rolling over onto his back, Law propped himself up onto his elbows and smirked in the face of defeat. 

Cackling his pleasure, Kid swept his arms downward and snatched Law out of the sand, hoisting the other man above his head at hip and shoulder like a trophy. Tilting his head back he bayed toward the moon like a wolf, throwing his head from side to side afterward to shed some of the sweat that had collected at his temples. That done he dropped Law down into his arms bridal style, smirking as he held him fast and called out to the crews at large, “Time?”

In spite of his defeat, being hoisted up in the air like that made Law feel triumphant so he just laughed as he was abruptly dropped then subsequently caught by Kid. Making himself comfortable against the other man’s chest, he tilted his head back over his bicep and watched, upside down, as a beer-drenched Killer replied monotonously, “Seven minutes thirteen seconds. Captain.” His words were so deadpan that Law couldn’t help but shake with laughter.

“Fuck yes,” giddy as a schoolgirl with a crush, Kid looked down at Law and couldn’t help but gloat a little, “so what’s that mean, Law? Who just won?” Even as he waited for a response Kid couldn’t hold still, tilting his head down to start nosing along Law’s jawline and press little nipping kisses all along it.

“Well,” Law started, keeping his head tipped back and not even bothering to hide the dopey grin spread across his face, “all things considered I kind of feel like I won.” Before things could get any more heated between the two of them, Killer and Bepo - who had been caught up in the rain of beer earlier - upended two pitchers of water over their captains. 

The yelp that engendered from Kid was completely out of character, but it was a sound he made nonetheless. Sputtering as he sank to his knees, Kid shook off like a dog yet again, unconcerned if that meant Law got more wet than he already was - at least the redhead hadn’t been wearing his coat, that thing was a beast to dry. 

“What was that for?!” Law pouted at Bepo, not bothering to dry himself off. “ _I_ didn’t throw beer on you.” Even as he spoke, he began to laugh again. Bepo’s fur was matted already with beer and sand, some parts sticking up where he’d attempted to lick the alcohol away. 

“... you encourage his behavior, Captain,” came the small voice in response, a bit prim in tone considering the circumstances. But for all that he felt like of gross and sticky right now, Bepo knew a quick dip in the ocean would set him to rights quick enough. At his left Killer was busy raising an eyebrow as Kid attempted - and failed - to scold him for the same thing.

“You could be a little more aware of your surroundings, _Captain._ We weren’t meant to be a part of your little chase,” Killer replied in a no-nonsense tone, arms flexing as he fought the urge to cross them, not wanting to get more sticky than he already was. 

Frowning petulantly, Kid stuck out his tongue, “I knew what I was doing. You shoulda moved faster.” But whatever, at least the water had helped him cool off. Looking back down at the trophy still carefully cradled in his arms, Kid contemplated his next move for a moment before speaking again,” I wanna wrap this thing up and get you back in my cabin.” He was well fed, warm, victorious, drunk, and starting to get drowsy - he wanted to cuddle.

“Fine by me,” Law agreed easily. Killer and Bepo sighed dramatically as their attempts to scold their captains failed, but must have realized there would be no way to get further with the two of them like this. “Make sure they keep this going without us. It’s working,” Law mumbled against Kid’s chest. 

He’d been happy to see just how well their crews got along. Even the competition hadn’t dampened anyone’s spirits, winners and losers alike. Shachi and Penguin had been playing pranks on the entire group with Hex and Jinx for the last several hours and Clione and Bolt had been talking nonstop about food since they came to an agreement about what their challenge would be. It boded well for their potential future as allies. 

“Right,” Kid agreed easily enough. Turning to look up at Killer with something akin to a sappy grin on his face, the redhead did his best to turn on what little charm he had, “You got that covered, right Kill?” Shifting as he moved to rise, Kid threw Law over his shoulder yet again in preparation to start heading back to his ship. 

“Noooo, I was comfortable the other way!” Law protested, trying to shift back to how Kid had been holding him before.

Killer breathed out through his nose, staring intensely at Kid for a long few moments before he finally nodded. “I just hope you realize what you’re getting yourself into with this, captain,” he murmured before turning to wave over the group of musicians that had been playing together throughout the evening. 

“Um, yeah,” Kid shot at Killer’s retreating back, perhaps slightly belligerent when feeling challenged, “a real comfy bed, thanks.” Ignoring Law’s protests with ease, Kid walked them up and down the line of their men along the beach one last time, bidding everyone a good night and more alcohol as they went. That done he retired them both to his ship, carrying Law the whole way with a little grin on his face.

“M’gonna carve off your shoulder blade if y’don’t get it outta my sternum,” Law groused once they were farther down the beach after several minutes of trying to wiggle into a more comfortable position.

“Yer not,” Kid’s response was jovial and amused, though he did wind up pulling Law back into the cradle of his arms a few moments later. It was kind of nice to be able to see his face, anyway. As he boarded his ship and headed below deck he smiled down at his companion, dopey, sleepy, and pleased, “It was a good night.”

“Mmm,” Law hummed in agreement, going still now that he was more comfortable. He tipped his head back over Kid’s bicep and watched the scenery pass upside down. “...we’re on your ship,” he commented a few seconds later, realizing this was the first time he’d been allowed to descend further than the deck. “Smells a little like whiskey.”

Clicking his tongue in wry amusement, Kid entered his cabin and went to drop Law onto the bed before realizing they were both still wet, “Oh, no.” Changing tactics he set Law down in one of the chairs arranged in the corner, plopping him into the seat before starting to strip off his own wet pants and boots.

“Ooh, a show?” Law asked slyly, stretching out in the chair as he watched Kid shed his wet clothes. His only contribution was to kick off his shoes into the pile Kid had made but he didn’t imitate the other man, instead choosing to sink back into the chair as he watched.

Wiggling his ass a little, even cheekier when he was drunk, if that was possible, Kid only laughed. “Yer not getting in my bed all wet,” flicking his fingers in Law’s general direction, Kid did his best to sum up his displeasure with Law’s current state in the little movement. He so did want to crawl into bed with the other man but he was going to be grumpy if he spent the night in a damp spot.

“No?” Raising an eyebrow, Law shifted so his hips were resting on the edge of the bottom of the chair. “Why don’t you do something about it then?” It wasn’t the most comfortable way to sit, but it did get his point across that he was expecting Kid to help him out of his clothes.

Though he immediately started to grumble, it was playful, “Caught a bossy one…” As the words trailed off Kid, now stripped down to his boxers, approached Law and grabbed him around the waist. It was a quick series of movements from there as he lovingly dropped the slender man on the floor, unbuckled his pants using his power, and pulled them off his legs from the ankle hem, leaving Law clad in his hoodie and boxers. It was quite the sight, actually.

“Very sexy,” Law commented, trying hard to keep a straight face though he failed and immediately grinned. “I’m still kinda wet, though.” He hooked his arms under his head as a makeshift pillow, doing absolutely nothing to make this any easier for Kid.

Quirking an eyebrow at him Kid responded only with a shake of his head, as though even he had trouble believing how incorrigible Law could be at times. But eventually he went back to work, plucking both wrists of Law’s hoodie into one hand and pulling that particular article of clothing off as one long tube - two could play at this “make it vaguely difficult” game.

Kid managed to take Law’s hat off as well and when his hoodie finally came free, Law’s hair was sticking out in all directions and he looked every bit as grumpy as a wet cat. “There are easier ways to take that off you know,” he grumbled, arms still stretched out above his head.

“Sure are,” came the counter, though Kid couldn’t hide the grin, “s’called doing it yourself.” Turning, Kid went to his chest of drawers and pulled out two dry pairs of boxers, shucking his own off with his back to Law and changing into the new pair before turning to offer the other to Law, “Know they’re too big, but…” Kid trailed off with a shrug, trusting that Law would get his point.

Huffing, Law pushed himself up and stripped off the t-shirt he had on underneath before considering Kid’s offer. “...don’t need ‘em,” he replied, pushing the last piece of waterlogged clothing off before passing the redhead and climbing into his bed. 

Fine with that option as well, Kid just nodded absently and dropped the clean pair somewhere vaguely near its home before surging after Law, crawling into bed immediately after him. It was his usual from there, trying to rearrange their bodies into a compatible cuddling formation. He was so happy and so tired… this felt so good.

Law let himself be shifted into a position that felt comfortable and ended up on his back with his legs bent over Kid’s hip as the larger man lay on his side and pillowed his head on Law’s shoulder, tucking his knees up under Law’s thighs. It was exactly the way they’d laid together in the cave and already muscle memory made it easy to get comfortable in the position. When Kid didn’t move beyond that, though, Law shifted to glance at him. “You’re gonna fuck me now, right?”

Already primed to drift off, that question caught Kidd off guard as he blinked his eyes open with a confused grunt, “Huh?” The thought of anything more than this hadn’t even occurred to him; he was pumped for bedtime, not sexy time. Lifting his head a little he shot Law a confused look, like he was having trouble understanding why Law would think that.

Kid’s confusion only confused Law, who pulled back somewhat to better see the other man’s face. “...what’s that look for? I thought that was the plan.” It seemed logical enough to him; Kid had won their bout and brought him back here after all.

“Oh,” biting his lower lip, Kid eventually settled on giving Law something that looked suspiciously like a shy half smile, like he was trying to get himself out of trouble, “... I was just gonna sleep.” Not that he was entirely opposed to ensuring that Law felt well taken care of, the idea of engaging in full on penetrative sex seemed like an awful lot of work.

“Come on, seriously? You have your conquest naked in your bed and you were just gonna sleep?” Law was distantly aware that he was a little more verbal than he usually liked to be; when he wanted something he usually got it with insinuation, but he was drunk enough that he didn’t have the patience for it. 

Reaching up to scrub at his hair, Kid nodded bashfully, “That was the plan, yeah…” But he could see now that he may have accidentally insinuated more and he certainly didn’t want Law leaving because he didn’t get the attention he needed. Pushing himself further upright Kid shifted, moving to seat himself between Law’s legs. “Too tired for like… the whole thing, but I can help,” he murmured softly, though the words were earnest, reaching out to wrap his fingers around Law’s cock.

Throughout their chase, Law’s imagination had helpfully (or unhelpfully, as it turned out) provided a scenario that would play out should Kid capture him that included being taken back to his cabin and utterly ravished. Sober, he would acknowledge that he couldn’t expect Kid to play out a fantasy he hadn’t shared, but drunk he was disappointed. “No, the whole thing’s what I want,” he pouted. He wasn’t actually upset; he was tired and drunk too and the longer he laid here the more sleep sounded preferable. 

Hesitating slightly, Kid lifted his gaze to meet Law’s, uncertain in what he should do next, “... I don’t mind.” _I don’t want you to go. I want you to be happy here. I want you to be happy with me._ These thoughts started to play in a jumbled loop through his head, the overarching sentiment running clear even as each individual thought may have started to meld into the others.

Breathing out through his nose, Law had to put effort into clearing his head enough to express himself - which he knew he wasn’t very good at sober either. “Don’t think you do. Just make it good in the morning when you’re not tired.” Tugging at the redhead’s shoulders, Law guided him back down so they could lay like they had been a few moments ago.

After a moment’s consideration in which Kid tried to determine whether or not he thought Law was telling the truth he nodded and acquiesced, allowing Law to pull him back down into the warm comforting depths of the sheets and rearrange them both into their previous configuration. That done Kid stretched his arm out along Law’s hips, gently flexing his fingers around the one farthest from his body, “... s’nice.”

“Yeah…” Closing his eyes, Law allowed himself to appreciate the warmth and comfort he was surrounded by. Sleeping with another person hadn’t been on his mind in a long time, but that hour and a half in the cave had been so inviting, even though he hadn’t slept himself. He couldn’t shake the feeling that he’d inadvertently upset Kid, though, so when he spoke again it was with the intent to make sure the redhead knew he wasn’t angry. “Y’know, if you got whiskey dick you just gotta tell me.”

The quip in response came quick, Law’s tone helping to put Kid more at ease than anything, “Got lazy dick, s’what I got. Not really m’thing…” Already starting to drift off, Kid’s words began to slur together even worse than they had been. Was Law nocturnal, or something? Why was he so insistent on being awake when Kid wanted to sleep?

Snorting in amusement, Law got the impression that Kid wouldn’t be awake much longer so he quieted and let himself settle in to sleep. Kid was heavy against his side and the longer he lay there the more agitated Law felt. What was comforting warmth quickly got to be too hot, and Kid’s presence started to feel like something that was holding him down. It wasn’t his usual full blown feeling of panic, but it was a creeping sensation of discomfort that made it impossible to stay still.

At first Kid had assumed Law’s fidgeting would settle once he found the perfect spot - sometimes it took Kid a few minutes of his own to get arm positioning just right - but when it had been almost ten minutes and Law still wouldn’t hold still it started to raise alarms in Kid’s mind that maybe everything wasn’t okay. It was groggy and uncoordinated, but Kid eventually managed to peel his eyes open and shift enough to push himself upright and look Law in the face, voice gently confused as he spoke, “... you okay?”

This was one of the things Law hated sharing about himself, hated for other people to know. He looked away from Kid more pointedly than he meant to and did his best to seem casual. “Yeah. Fine. Tryin’ t’get comfortable.” His words were clipped, and he tried to distract himself by sticking one leg out from under the blankets so he wouldn’t be so hot. 

Undeterred, Kid persisted because now he knew something was off, “Y’know, I already told y’that y’were a bad liar once.” Everything about Law’s response was making him more nervous that something serious was going wrong, or that Law was regretting this, or any other number of bad things his imagination could come up with. Kid really didn’t think he could handle it if this turned into a repeat of the last time they shared a cabin together, “... C’mon, Law, tell me truth…”

“I’m not lying. I’m fine.” The words were forced through clenched teeth as though Law was trying to force himself to be just that. The night had gone flawlessly, he was happy, this was what he wanted. Why couldn’t he just have one day where his miserable past and unresolved trauma left him completely? His bitterness was entirely directed at himself, trying to will his mind to numbness.

Kid felt his natural tendency toward anger start to flare up, his mind pushing him toward assuming the worst, though he tried damn hard to push it back. “Okay. You’re lying, but, you know, okay,” biting his lip to try and hold back any other words, Kid only managed to silence himself for about fifteen seconds before his biggest fear came spilling out, “Staying the night with me that bad, just fuckin’ say it.”

“Not everything’s about you,” Law shot back, then clenched his jaw to keep himself from continuing. This wasn’t about Kid, but he had no reason to know otherwise. Feeling himself sobering up, Law sighed and covered his face for a moment to compose himself before he tried again. “...I do want to stay. I just… I don’t sleep well…” It was an oversimplification to be sure, but he had to start somewhere.

Law’s initial response got Kid’s hackles straight on end and he wasn’t too far away from deciding that if things were going to go sideways this time, he was going to be the one to do the kicking out, rather than be left watching Law leave. Then Law’s actual admission hit him and it took the wind from his sails, his eyebrows furrowing slightly as he considered that, “Oh. … Okay. C’n I help?”

“I don’t… know…?” How could anyone help when he had no control over what happened when he was asleep? When Kid couldn’t control how he moved, couldn’t stop himself from getting too close. It was a crap shoot, really. He didn’t always have a panic attack when he got wound up in the blankets and felt trapped, but sometimes he did. Sometimes the blanket would get too close to his face and it would obstruct his breathing just enough that it would lead into a nightmare; sometimes such a small thing was all it took. “I’m a violent sleeper sometimes…”

“...S’fine,” Kid could deal with that. He’d had to work through issues of his own, a long time ago, when he used to freak out if anyone but Yara came anywhere near him as he slept, or even dared to do something as innocuous as sit on the edge of his sleeping area when he was in it. Killer had taken more than one elbow to some body part or another, earned himself a broken nose on one occasion, and even still kept coming back every time Kid asked. “Jus… do what y’need to, I’ll deal,” he offered softly, gently stroking a hand down Law’s side as soothingly as he could.

“You make it sound so easy…” There wasn’t any one thing he knew of that would help. He’d never shared a bed with anyone so this was trial and error and he really didn’t want to fuck it up. Law wanted to just let it go from there and just see what happened, but Killer’s words from earlier echoed in his ears. He needed to give him more, some truth that would lead to a sturdier foundation between them. “...I’m claustrophobic,” he murmured half into the pillow, practically inaudible in how he mumbled the words, each syllable sticking to his tongue. It was hard for him to admit any weakness after all this time of keeping it all to himself.

The little sound of understanding that Kid made then was almost heartrendingly sweet in how soft it was. “No big,” as his hands moved they were as soft as his voice, gently pulling some of the blankets away from Law so they were both left covered only by the sheet. Kat used to worry at enclosed spaces and he remembered her not always liking being cocooned in her bedding, so it seemed like a logical thing to do for Law. “I broke Killer’s nose once, in m’sleep,” trying to speak as clearly as possible even with exhaustion still tugging at him, Kid did his best to enunciate, “so yer fine.”

Law couldn’t help but be suspicious. Being honest like this couldn’t be this easy, there had to be some downside to telling Kid this but what that was his alcohol-laden brain couldn’t figure out. The lightness that came after the blanket was moved made it a little easier to breathe and Kid’s body heat made it easy enough to stay warm. “...I like having you close. But I dunno how much I’ll like it when I’m asleep.” 

Patting Law’s stomach reassuringly, Kid managed to shoot a small smile his way before tucking his head back down onto his pillow, “We’ll figure it out.” While he wanted to be aggressively tangled up with Law’s body he held back a little, leaving his hand on the hip closest to himself, rather than stretching his arm over his entire body.

Laying there in silence that stretched on for miles, Law couldn’t help but be astounded. He expected to be teased a little, or for Kid to at least think he was weak. But given the fact that he moved to make sure there wasn’t too much pressure on him, that he didn’t feel trapped, made it clear that he didn’t think that. “...s’really that easy, huh?” he wondered aloud.

“What?” at this point, Kid was too far gone to hold much more coherent conversation. Opening his eyes, which had been hard before, seemed impossible now, so he just decided to blindly agree with Law in the hopes that was the right answer, “Like… yeah.” Nosing into the pillow the redhead’s body finally relaxed fully, allowing him to sink into the support and warmth of his surroundings.

“...huh.” Deciding not to keep Kid up any longer, Law kept the rest of his racing thoughts to himself. It was probably the most minuscule thing he could have shared, but it was something he wasn’t proud of, a weakness that could open the door to the rest of the shit he kept locked away. And he’d told someone else about it and it… had turned out okay. Everything in his life had found a way to hurt him and Law expected nothing different from this. But… maybe this was what healing felt like.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 17,268 words. Holy fuck. And that was with us taking all of Wednesday off from writing to go to DC for a concert. Just so you guys know, we love writing this story as much as we hope you love reading it and every time we hear from one of you it makes our hearts soar, so thank you!
> 
> [ Akimao](http://akimao.tumblr.com/post/183800526621/put-me-down-you-dont-get-me-until-you-catch) has been providing art for us for TEN chapters. We are beyond humbled and grateful to have such lovely artwork to pair with each chapter. 
> 
> Also, another 10 chapters means another playlist!  
>  Credit to Akimao.tumblr.com for the art.
> 
> You can listen to the playlist [ here](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3VIjySP4VlcTzq9H24pxlA) on Spotify.
> 
> Please check out the tumblr post [ here](https://pand--em--onium.tumblr.com/post/183685741052/middle-fingers-in-the-air-playlist-2) if you're interested in our thoughts behind the tracks.


	21. *Old Dog, New Tricks

Waking to the bright sun streaming in through his porthole and discovering that he didn’t have a pounding headache, seemed to have avoided puking in the middle of the night, and wasn’t in pain anywhere else was a big victory in Kid’s book, especially considering the fact that he vaguely remembered thinking it was a good idea to jump directly through their bonfire the night before. Yeah, well, life without risk wasn’t worth living, now was it?

Shifting carefully, Kid rolled onto his side just enough to get a full view of Law while trying to disturb his rest as little as possible. It hadn’t been the easiest night of sleep he’d ever had - Law had tossed and turned a lot, waking Kid up a couple times, but the redhead had always just given him a bit of space and stroked whatever patch of skin was nearest his hand until the other man settled down again. 

Yet in spite of all that, Kid found himself happy and content, if still a little sleepy. Law looked peaceful enough for now, so maybe he could steal a few extra minutes of rest, if not full on sleep. Pillowing his head against his companion’s bicep, Kid allowed his eyes to sink closed again as he focused on everything going on around him; the soft sound of Law’s breathing, the repetitive whump of the sea against the side of his ship, the occasional ragged cry of a gull from somewhere nearby. It all felt so much like peace to him. 

It was absolutely a lie to say that Law was a deep sleeper. A shift in speed of the sub or the vibration of the engine alone was often enough to wake him, so the fact that he was able to sleep at all considering the fact that another living, breathing, moving human was beside him the whole night was nothing less than a miracle. 

The sun peering in through the blinds and casting a ray of light across his face was what woke him initially but the warmth was more comforting than annoying. Law let the heat bring him to wakefulness slowly and the soothing weight of Kid’s hand on his waist was more helpful than panic-inducing. Breathing out through his nose, Law stretched and craned his neck to the side to see if Kid was awake or asleep, gauging his next move - or lack thereof - based on the other man’s response. 

Kid had managed a nice little doze of ten or so minutes, so Law stirring awake was met with Kid’s own eyes flickering open, slow and lethargic in the early morning light. It was then that a sleepy smile touched his face as his gaze met Law’s own, “Mornin’.” Mimicking Law, Kid stretched from his hips down through his toes, pressing into Law’s side for a bit before settling again and looping his arm tighter over the other man’s waist.

Judging by the fact that Kid didn’t look annoyed or still exhausted due to lack of sleep - and the fact that he himself hadn’t been woken in the middle of the night - Law assumed he hadn’t been too obnoxious a bed partner. Rather than responding right away, he watched Kid for several seconds longer, scanning his expression before he finally spoke. “So… I guess it went ok, then…?”

At that Kid just chuckled slightly, tone lightly poking fun at Law in his response, “Nobody woke up bloody or on the floor, yeah?” Stretching like a cat this time he bowed his back, scooting his butt off the edge of the bed for a moment before folding back in to tuck his body along the curve of Law’s, humming softly in his throat with the movement.

Huffy, Law stuck his elbow into Kid’s side but didn’t maintain it long enough to push him away. “That doesn’t mean you slept well,” he pointed out. It wasn’t his favorite topic of conversation, though, and if Kid didn’t have anything to complain about he didn’t intend to give him something. The confirmation that the redhead hadn’t had a miserable night was still… nice. Law hadn’t known what to expect, after all. 

“You were here. I slept fine,” thought Kid phrased it as though they were two individual thoughts, in all actuality they weren’t. He hadn’t had the most restful night of sleep ever, sure, but it had been one of the nicest ones he’d had in a long time. There had even been something soothing to looking after Law when restlessness had beset the other man; working to calm him seemed to have calmed Kid at the same time.

...okay, fine. So opening up to Kid hadn’t blown up in his face or even been that difficult. That didn’t mean he was raring to do more of it but Law had to admit that perhaps some day it would be easier. Pushing himself up so he was sitting, Law stretched his arms over his head to work out the kinks in his spine. His body had been hunched in an unusual way in his sleep thanks to Kid’s proximity but that was probably the worst part of it. It was manageable.

Watching Law absently for a moment, Kid found his mind wandering as he took in the sight before him. This felt almost… with a grunt, Kid struggled to find an accurate word for it but only found himself grasping at straws. Whatever. This, waking with Law at his side, watching him maneuver his body back into step with the waking world, the silence between them stretching out warm and comfortable, it all just felt… right.

Feeling the weight of Kid’s eyes on him, Law dropped his arms and looked at the other man over his shoulder. “Something on your mind?” he asked in a playful tone, stretching in a way that let the blanket slip further down his hips, a reminder that he wasn’t wearing anything underneath the sheets. 

“Not really,” Kid responded in a yawn, mouth gaping open like a wild cat in the afternoon sun, “but I think there’s somethin’ on yours.” Kid was absolutely certain of what Law was after and now that their night together had gone so well and he was fully rested, Kid was much more amenable to the idea of indulging Law in his desire. 

“You know, I think I might be offended,” Law drawled as he turned onto his hands and knees, crawling forward until he could drape himself between Kid’s legs to pillow his head on the other man’s stomach. “You didn’t want you celebrate your conquest last night and I’m still here, still naked in your bed, and there’s still ‘not really’ anything on your mind?” He shifted down then, resting his chin on Kid’s hip as he looked up at the other man, “Playing hard to get is my thing.”

“I’m not playing hard to get,” Kid countered, the words coming easy and defenseless. Reaching down he carded his fingers through Law’s hair a few times, gentle, before tugging playfully on a few of the strands, casual as he spoke, “Told you last night.” Realizing he liked the texture of Law’s hair between his fingers Kid started to stroke through it again, soothed by the motion.

Confused, Law pushed himself up, bracing his palms on either side of Kid’s hips as he considered the redhead. What had he said last night that was relevant to this conversation? Had he missed something that important? They’d had chemistry before, so what the hell was this about now? “...What?” he managed rather inarticulately as his various trains of thought crashed together into confusion.

Knowing that Law had no real reason to know what he was getting at, Kid couldn’t help but chuckle at the look on his face. It was so _concerned_ the redhead almost felt bad. “This stuff. Sex,” he offered then, to ensure clarity and try to help resolve Law’s confusion, “it’s not really my thing, usually.”

Law felt a little off balance, like he usually did when he realized he was dreaming and was faced with the exact opposite of something he knew to be true. There had been plenty of innuendo and enough outright sex acts between them that Kid’s words didn’t make sense. “...what are you talking about?”

In an instant, Kid realized he had better tread through the rest of this conversation very carefully - the look on Law’s face and his tone made it clear that they were perhaps on the edge of something unpleasant. Frowning a little as he tried to suss out the right way to explain things Kid shifted position a little, gathering Law up closer to him on instinct and wrapping his arms around the other man to keep him close, “Like… getting off. Not that big a deal t’me.”

It wasn’t that he was angry, since there was nothing in particular to be angry about. It was just that Law was having a difficult time stringing this new information together. He did remember their time on the beach when Kid had gotten him off then left. At the time he figured the other man was being a little shit, but that slotted into place with this new fact, “So that was all just for my benefit?” Kid had initiated enough between them that it still didn’t exactly make sense. It certainly hadn’t been all Law’s doing that had gotten them this far.

Following the trail of unease in the silence that followed his words, Law realized that the source of it was something like betrayal. A feeling like all that innuendo and their previous encounters had somehow been a lie, that the redhead had been using him and his vices to get closer to him. Law could feel the muscles in his shoulders tighten in response to the unpleasant stimulus his mind was providing.

The more logical side of him carried that train of thought further. If that was true, why? What could Kid hope to gain by manipulating him like this? He hadn’t pushed for any alliance or anything that Law would have found unpleasant. He hadn’t taken advantage of anything. Being honest now wouldn’t gain him anything. Forcing himself to relax again, Law inhaled and made his racing heart slow to a reasonable rate. No one was trying to use him. He had just adapted to all the horrors of his youth and assumed the worst in everybody. 

Clicking his tongue thoughtfully, Kid shook his head after a moment, “No.” Softly running his nails up and down Law’s sides, Kid subconsciously did his best to ensure the smaller man understood how much he enjoyed physical affection between the two of them, “I like watching you squirm, or beg for it, or get needy, or whatever.”

With a few more memories sliding into place and the whole picture coming together, Law relaxed a little. “So you like sex, you’re just not in it to get off.” That seemed… right, actually. In all of their encounters, the redhead hadn’t been focused on his own pleasure but rather on getting a reaction from Law and maintaining control. At least that meant he’d still get some without having to feel like a nag and Kid has his own things he found enjoyable that was in perfect alignment with Law’s own preferences. 

“With you,” Kid tacitly agreed, settling somewhat now that it seemed like Law wasn’t going to be angry with him. He’d used sex as a display of dominance before, in the cases where some guy thought he could take him and insinuated that whoever won the fight should get to fuck the other, but even that was only when he was really pissed off. 

Law had been happy with how things had been going between them so far and it wasn’t like Kid had changed so he didn’t have anything to complain about. The moment of confusion passed and Law rested his chin back on Kid’s hip. “Good.” Besides, the outcome of this whole thing could have been much, much worse. 

Finally feeling comfortable enough to relax fully Kid let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding, leaning in and speaking softly, a wicked edge to his words, “Now… did you have something else on your mind?” Law being all pushy had made Kid want to make him wait, make him beg for it a little, make him earn it, and now that was on his mind more than anything else.

“Potentially,” Law replied, ducking his head down to hide the grin spreading across his face. He chose instead to mouth at the outline of Kid’s cock through the thin fabric of his boxers - even if the redhead wasn’t in it for the orgasm, that didn’t mean Law couldn’t have his own fun.

As a laugh escaped him at that, Kid nonetheless reached down to push Law’s head away, playfully bossy, “What did I just tell you?” Law wasn’t about to get something just because he decided he wanted it. Pressing his palms flat to the bed Kid pushed himself back, wiggling out from under Law to come to rest standing beside the bed, arms crossed as he raised an eyebrow down at his wayward bedmate.

“That I’m your favorite person to fuck,” Law replied after a few moments of fake deliberation, unmoved from his position on his stomach even though Kid’s weight was no longer propping him up. The idea to physically play hard to get inched its way to the surface of Law’s thoughts before he pushed it back down; he’d already led Kid on a chase and anyway, he was perfectly comfortable where he was. 

Correcting him slightly, Kid accentuated his words with a very sharp smack to Law’s naked ass, “You’re my favorite person to make beg.” That much was true - he’d be perfectly happy focusing on making Law desperate and obedient in his desire, which didn’t require fucking him at all. Actually, in general, fucking was the reward for that sort of thing anyway, so it was something Law needed to earn, it certainly just wasn’t going to be given.

Instead of gasping or flinching away from the impact, Law simply grinned and arched his back in invitation for more. Pain wasn’t a deterrent for him, not anymore, and he wasn’t the type to back down. “No, I’m pretty sure it was what I said,” he drawled, completely aware he was being a brat and not caring about the consequences.

Chuckling dryly at that, Kid just shook his head, “You think bein’ mouthy is gonna get you want you want.” Fully intending to prove to him otherwise, Kid activated his power then and sent the little metal spheres he kept in his coat pocket into action. They flew to Law’s skin in the blink of an eye, lining up around his hips and pressing into him until they trapped him belly to the bed, holding him firm.

After a few moments of confusion, Law couldn’t help but laugh. The insistent press of metal against his skin was enough to keep him in place and would likely leave some bruises where they pressed in close to the jut of his bones. It was effective and clever and he could appreciate that. Not wanting to be predictable, Law allowed the little metal balls to stay where they were and relaxed into the mattress, waiting for Kid’s next move.

One of the many benefits to not being that desperate to chase an orgasm was the sense of patience and calm it bestowed upon Kid in these situations. Turning to the back corner of his cabin, Kid grabbed a chair and pulled it up alongside the bed, sitting by Law’s legs and reaching out only to lightly slide his fingers up and down the curve of the other man’s calf, though the dip in his knee, up through the swell of his thigh and back again. Enough of a touch to keep Law’s attention, but not much else.

Law could be patient, was determined to be patient, but fuck if he didn’t want more from those hands than just teasing gentleness. The touch felt nice, though. Soothing in a way he might enjoy more if it wasn’t for the desire swelling throughout his body. The method of keeping him pinned was almost genius considering his usual aversion to being held down; there was very little weight pressing into him and it wasn’t impossible to move, just uncomfortable. 

Taking up the hum of some random sea shanty under his breath, Kid continued his feather light touches with one hand, using the other to reach behind himself and grab the back of his chair, sighing out a quiet groan as the muscles engaged and stretched under him. He kept his movements and his sounds subtle, just enough to ensure Law stayed aware of him and their proximity.

Law knew what Kid wanted, he’d made it clear enough. The part of him that chafed against being given orders he was expected to follow made it difficult to give in, though, even if what Kid had proposed wasn’t strictly an order. Taking advantage of the fact his hips were being pressed into the bed, Law ground against the blankets that were jumbled up beneath him. 

After a moment that only engendered a chuckle from Kid, voice dropping low even as his hand continued to move, “You gonna come like that, rutting against the bed?” He made no move to stop or scold Law; in all honesty, the man was playing right into his hands. If this was how Law wound up coming, he certainly didn’t get what he actually wanted.

Damn. That wasn’t what he wanted at all. His usual tricks weren’t going to work on Kid but instead of being frustrated he breathed out a laugh and turned his head to look at the redhead. “You’re not going to be easy to manipulate,” he observed, but there was a strange sense of pride in his tone. Of course it took someone completely left of center to hold his attention like this, someone completely unpredictable and fucked up. Law would never be able to have a lasting relationship with someone he could read like a book; he’d get bored far too easily. 

The grin Kid sent Law’s way was beaming with pride of its own, a wordless but clear response to Law’s comment. Damn straight he wasn’t going to be easy to manipulate - he hadn’t been since he was fourteen and he sure as shit didn’t intend to suddenly let it start happening again. This right here was exactly what he did enjoy about a sexual encounter; the ability to bring his partner to a place where they _want_ so badly that they’ll do whatever Kid says to get it.

Letting his hips come to rest, Law breathed out through his nose. “C’mon, Kid. You want me to beg, you’re gonna have to do more than that. I’m not riled up enough that that kinda tease is gonna do anything.” While it was a little strange being so honest about his needs during sex, the words came with surprisingly little force. They were still learning each other’s ways of doing things after all.

The smile that touched Kid’s lips then was small but full of triumph, “What do you want me to do?” Shifting to stand, Kid switched hands as he finally slid his touch upward, letting it crest the curve of Law’s ass, skitter over the little iron belt, and dance along the dip of Law’s spine before coming to rest tangled in his hair and pulling lightly, “Specifically.”

The fingers winding in his hair felt possessive, as everything Kid did, and for once Law wasn’t just playing along with his partner’s want to control him. Sex with Kid was more than just a release or a way to wheedle information out of someone, so without any ulterior motives he found that he could just enjoy each new sensation without needing to analyze everything. Closing his eyes and replying with a little purr, he butted his head up into Kid’s hand as much as he could before responding, “A little more of this.”

Fuck, but Law was so goddamn pretty like this. The rush of adrenaline that filled Kid when Law’s response came easy and certain was heady, made him want more of exactly that. Eyes narrowing in pleasure, Kid’s tongue snaked out to lick over his top lip briefly before he tightened his grip and pulled back harder, starting to force Law into bowing his back - he could only hope that the sensation was intensified by the fact that Law couldn’t really move his hips. 

Flexible was not a descriptor Law would use for himself. His only options were to strain back into Kid’s hold on him or go a bit limp and increase the pressure on his scalp from his hair being pulled. The second option was what he went with, a hiss escaping through his teeth at the thousands of pinpricks spreading across the back of his head where Kid had his hair at the root. It sent tingles of pleasure-pain down the back of his neck and his spine, hips pressing back into the balled up blanket between his legs of their own accord. “...good…” he praised, eyes half closed.

“You get what you want when you’re good,” Kid’s response came as its own sort of praise, words laced with steel and pleasure all at once. He kept his grip on Law’s hair firm and tight, having learned by now that the pain drove his desire. Deciding it was time to bring his free hand back into play, Kid moved without warning and grinned as the sound of his palm smacking against the exposed flesh of Law’s ass sang through the room.

Even though he enjoyed the pain, it didn’t keep his body from jerking reflexively at the strike, which jostled his hips into the metal around his waist and pulled at Kid’s grip on his hair. It was a wave of pain that moved up his body and settled into pleasure buzzing beneath his skin. Law’s eyes slid shut entirely as a soft sigh of pleasure escaped his lips.

Satisfied at that reaction, Kid began to reward Law with the spanking he so clearly desired, hand setting up a smooth and steady rhythm. He wasn’t ready to turn Law any shade of purple yet but he did aim for a nice bright red spread evenly across his skin, appreciating as always watching the physical payoff for his effort manifest in front of him.

After awhile, Law found himself pushing his hips into the bed as much as he could, so that each strike of Kid’s palm against his skin pushed him just that much further forward. It wasn’t much friction, but it was enough to keep his attention. The initial sigh of pleasure had turned into gasps and hisses as the pain increased but at no point did he try to move away or fight it. This was what he liked about this kind of sex; when all he could do was remain still and just feel the things being done to him, the way the blood rushed to wherever was being abused made him feel that surge of heat that reminded him he was still here, still alive, and still capable of feeling _something._

From Kid’s perspective, this was a thing of beauty. The way that Law always went tense at first but then eventually relaxed into whatever it was Kid decided Law had earned himself was heady; knowing he could have that much influence over the other man without even having to breathe a word seemed impossible, but here they were. He didn’t stop until all of Law’s behind had colored a beautiful, angry red and his own palm stung with the sensation of it all as well. 

There was an arch of the same color along Law’s upper hips and as Kid released his grip on Law’s hair he turned his attention to that instead, tracing along it with sharp nails, “Tell me what you want now, Law.” While it was most certainly an order, there was no demanding, raw edge to the tone - it was said with the calm certainly that it would be answered. 

For some reason, even though he’d been still the whole time, Law felt as each breath came heavy and ragged. It took him a moment to respond, licking his lips as he rolled his neck a little to work out the kinks from having been bent back so long. “I don’t know,” he replied finally, honest, “I’ve never really been given options before.” The freedom to choose what was done to him was never something he concerned himself with since Law knew the second something happened he didn’t like it was only a matter of activating his Room to escape. 

Through the soft puff of air that escaped him as a thoughtful sigh, Kid shook his head and then bent down to press surprisingly soft kisses down the length of Law’s spine from neck to his makeshift binds, pausing only once to bite at the dip of his lower back. Only then did he speak, one hand stroking over Law’s thighs, though he was careful not to offer any of the soothing relief doing the same thing to his ass would have provided, “As long as you’re good, I’ll give you what you ask for.” He paused then, his words coming just a touch thicker, “I want t’give you what you ask for.”

The honesty so clearly reflected in Kid’s voice struck a chord with Law. This whole time, he’d been consciously thinking about how own feelings regarding how this relationship was progressing and hadn’t really taken the time to consider the fact that it was progressing for Kid, too. Not that he hadn’t picked up on it, but it was more subconscious knowledge than something he’d ever really thought about before. Kid was doing this for _him_ , and sure, at his own admission the other man did get something out of it, but what he was offering right now was purely for Law’s benefit. And why would he do that unless they were on the same page with this relationship? 

Instead of making him want to run, it felt good. At least they were both equally invested. “In that case,” he began after several moments of silence, turning his head to meet Kid’s eyes with a warmth in his gaze he wouldn’t have thought himself capable of, “Come sit in front of me. There’s something I’ve wanted to try that you haven’t let me do yet.”

Some small part of him that Kid hadn’t even recognized was on edge immediately relaxed at that, his breath seeming to come easier in his chest. Maybe he had been worried about Law brushing him off, or deciding that he wanted Kid to always make all the decision, or make some snarky comment… Kid didn’t know, for sure, but it’s not like it mattered now. With a little grin he moved to do as Law had asked, though he plopped himself just out of reach at the head of the bed because he couldn’t help but be a little shit from time to time.

Resting one hand on top of the other, Law sat his chin on the back of his stacked hands and considered Kid for a moment. “I mean, I could detach my mouth and move it over there but I think that might disturb you.” Kid didn’t need to know that what he proposed wasn’t strictly possible; Law was fairly confident just the mental image would be enough to bring him close enough to reach.

And, as it turned out, Law would be right. Though Kid glowered at him for just a moment, he was too unwilling to risk Law following through on his threat so he scooted forward, spreading his legs so they ran down either side of Law’s body and left the rest of him within easy reach. Though he never purposefully sought out a blow job, he didn’t particularly dislike them and saw no reason to stop Law from getting what he wanted.

“Good boy,” Law encouraged with a smirk, leaning in to bite at Kid’s inner thigh before pulling himself in closer. The metal against his hips was still doing an impressively good job at keeping him confined without any adverse effects and though they weren’t the most comfortable thing he almost didn’t feel them anymore. Reaching for Kid’s hands, he pressed both palms against either side of his head, giving silent permission for the redhead to pull his hair or keep him pressed as far down as he wanted. He didn’t know if it was contradictory that he was claustrophobic but didn’t mind being choked or not, but Law wasn’t in the mood to really try and sort that out right now.

Unperturbed by either Law’s words or bite, Kid instead chose, at least for the time being, to just gently tangle his fingers through Law’s hair. Settling in with the goal of being comfortable enough to hang out long term, Kid rearranged himself until he was satisfied, though he kept in contact with as much of Law as he could. As the pad of one thumb absently worried at the smooth skin behind one of Law’s ears Kid found his attention fully focused on his willing captive, waiting and watching to see what would happen next. 

There was no teasing or slow, gradual build up; Law could be a ruthless tease when he was the one in control of things but right now he chose to just take advantage of the situation and indulge himself. Without using his hands to do anything but keep himself slightly propped up, Law leaned in and circled his tongue around the head of Kid’s cock once before guiding it past his lips to the back of his throat. 

A low, soft groan came as Kid’s response, his head tilting back slightly for only a moment before straightening so he could continue to watch the scene unfold before him. Though the pleasure didn’t register for him quite the same way it did for everyone else, he still enjoyed how Law looked so fucking good like this, pinned down and eager, mouth wide around his cock and trying so hard to take all of it.

Law had never been one to back down from a challenge but Kid was certainly a challenge. It had been awhile since he’d done this and even longer since he’d tried with someone of the redhead’s size. He pulled back after it was clear his first attempt was done at the wrong angle, but never let Kid’s cock escape fully. Pushing himself up a bit further, Law tried again, moving slowly to adjust as needed.

The process was fascinating to watch, Kid finding himself entranced by the mixed look of determination and arousal playing over Law’s face. There was something about knowing that Law was just as determined in play as he was in work that made Kid like him all the more - a pirate should enjoy himself to the fullest fucking extent possible; it was one of the perks of the title, after all. Wanting to provide Law with encouragement, keep his interest and continue to please him as well, Kid bent over at the waist, leaning in to whisper softly, “That’s it. I know you want to choke on it. Go on, you can do it for me, I know you can.”

Huffing out a garbled laugh around the cock filling his throat, Law pointedly pushed his head into Kid’s hands before continuing on as he was. It was difficult to really make himself choke, being that he was in control and knew what to expect. He did enjoy it, though, the feeling of being pushed beyond his limits. 

“Oh,” as a grin overtook his face, Kid tightened his grip and decided to give Law exactly as he wanted. There was something soothing about knowing that Law could escape at any moment, if he wanted to - it meant that if Kid did accidentally push too far Law could stop the whole thing before it got any worse. With that comforting thought floating around the back of his skull Kid started to push forward, slow but steady, holding Law’s head in place.

Law was fully aware that this might be easier if he had worked his way up to it, but that wasn’t enough to make him slow down. The insistent push forward forced him to take more and the low groan that rumbled in his chest made it clear to the other man how much he enjoyed it in spite of the difficulty. He could feel his throat tense around the intrusion before it became too much and he gagged, reflexively pulling back just enough to breathe heavily through his nose

Letting Law pull back when he needed, Kid nonetheless felt the rush of control this gave him shudder through his body. Law was known as the “Surgeon of Death” and had clearly lived up to the name, yet here he was asking - and trusting - Kid to choke him on his cock. In an odd way, that seemed almost romantic. He set the pace then, letting Law have only a few moments of easy air before pressing back down into his throat, the movement settling into something steady and certain.

Usually when he did this, Law would look up at whoever he was sucking off and watch them as he worked. Mostly it was because he wanted to show that even in a more submissive position he wasn’t someone who was easily used, but he did also get satisfaction out of seeing how easily he could make a man weak with pleasure using just his mouth.

With Kid, he didn’t even bother. Whatever was between them was strong enough the he didn’t feel the need for that show of control and confidence. He knew he had the redhead’s respect, whether he was struggling to accommodate his impressive girth or not. 

Kid let a few more minutes pass before he decided that Law was warmed up and ready enough for the next step. Besides, he’d been so good, he deserved it. With a little grin he tightened his grip further as he pushed himself into Law’s throat, forcing his girth down until Law’s lips met the base of his cock. But this time, rather than let up the moment Law started to recoil he held him in place, grip firm and demanding. 

Normally, Law was vain enough that he didn’t let things escalate so far that he let himself get messy (when he could help it, anyway). But he found himself enjoying this enough that he didn’t mind the wetness tracking from his eyes down the sides of his face or the saliva each inch of flesh in his throat pushed passed his lips and over the curve of his chin. 

When his initial reflexive recoil was met with resistance, Law could feel his throat fluttering around Kid’s cock, lungs burning from a lack of consistent oxygen. Something was definitely fucked up about a person when their survival instincts kicking in was an aphrodisiac, but then again, Law already knew he was fucked up. 

By the time his gag reflex became too much to fight back, Kid seemed to sense it and released his grip so that Law could pull off him entirely. His whole body seemed to shake with each heaving breath but when he finally looked up at Kid again - face a red, wet mess - it was with a blissful expression. “Mmh. You’re good at that.”

That face, that fucking face so purely content in the mess that he and Law had made of it together, was a sight that would stick with Kid for a good, long time. Gorgeous, is what it was. Leaning down with a warm chuckle, Kid pressed his lips to Law’s and could immediately taste himself, just one additional reminder of what he just put Law through. This was a glorious morning.

After all that effort, Law was fully invested now. He allowed Kid to kiss him, sucking on his tongue to mimic what he’d just done before the redhead could pull back. His eyes were dark as he studied the other man’s face once they’d broken apart again, “You like making a mess of me?” 

Kid’s nod of assent was immediate and wholehearted, unabashed in sharing what pleasured him. Shifting around on the bed, Kid moved to lay parallel with Law, though he had one hand slung across his back and closed the gap between them again when he took another kiss, enjoying the sensation of Law’s hair against the soft skin of his forehead as they moved into one another.

In the moment, Law wanted to roll onto his back and pull Kid on top of him but when he went to try the metal dug in insistently and he huffed his annoyance against Kid’s lips. “You mind moving your balls off my back before they adhere to my skin?” he asked dryly, shimmying against their hold on him to express his desire to move.

“Depends on how nice you ask,” came the rejoinder, Kid’s shit eating grin filling the space between them. He made no move to relinquish his power’s grip on Law, at least not yet. When he asked pretty, then Kid would be happy to do it. As is he went back to tracing along that well defined little path with teasingly light touches as he waited for a response. 

Rather than responding with sarcasm as was his usual go to, Law instead leaned in close, purring in Kid’s ear, “Please let me roll over so I can show you I enjoyed being made a mess of as much as you enjoyed making a mess of me.” The sentence was punctuated with a nip to Kid’s earlobe and as Law pulled away he let his tongue trace up the outer shell of his ear. 

Well… “Uh, yeah, fuck...” Kid’s response was instantaneous and rather awed, the words coming out breathy. He recalled his metal spheres to his coat pocket with hardly a thought, though he wanted to be the one to turn Law over himself. So he kept the wide plane of his palm spread out over Law’s lower back until he could get his own knees under him, turning to face the other man before gripping both slim hips at his disposal and bodily flipping him onto his back in one fluid movement. 

Had it been anyone else, Law would have complained that he was capable of doing it himself. But he knew that Kid did it out of eagerness and desire and that just filled Law with warmth. Here he was, with a man who didn’t have a sex drive, and yet Kid clearly wanted him regardless. Law always felt strangely powerful seeing the intensity of the desire on other people’s faces, but this was the first time his desire for his partner was evenly matched. 

As it was, he didn’t complain at all, simply arched his back and let his knees fall open. He wiped his mouth so it was cleaner than it had been, then trailed his fingers down his neck and over his chest. Seeing that he had Kid’s rapt attention, Law decided to play a little, following the whorls of dark ink and curving his fingers so it was his nails gliding over his chest instead of the skin of his fingertips. He dug in just enough to leave the faintest red mark in the wake of his movement, hissing as the nails raked over his nipples before moving down to his stomach.

Law’s show caught Kid’s attention immediately and held it rapt, his eyes dark and intensely fixed on the movement of Law’s fingers. It immediately reminded him of the minutes he’d spend carefully striating Law’s back during one of their previous encounters, though his touch had been methodical and sharp, clear lines and right angles, whereas Law’s was much more fluid and organic. For now he watched, breath shallow in his chest as all his energy seemed to be drawn into the smaller man below him.

There was more of a sense of urgency the closer his hand moved to his own arching cock that Law merely skimmed his hand down between his hips until he could wrap his fingers around it. The saliva he’d smeared off his chin served as acceptable lubrication for now, since all he was doing was trying to take the edge off. Sighing, Law’s eyes fluttered shut as he relaxed back against the bed, wrist jerking lazily. It was clear he wasn’t trying to get off, just enjoying something a bit more firm than a wad of cloth. Belatedly, he reached out his free hand for one of Kid’s, guiding his fingers over top of his own so he was involved as well.

Kid’s answering chuckle was dark and threaded with rich amusement, though it was clearly a task he was eager to assist with. Though Law may not have been verbal about it, he was still clearly asking for what he wanted and being so delightfully good about it. It made Kid want to reward him all the more. So the redhead wrapped his fingers around Law’s own without fuss, letting Law set the pace for now, though he did leave a thought ringing in the open air between them, “Y’can move yer hand whenever…”

Law shook his head, finding the idea of that distasteful. He liked this extra contact point, this feeling of connectedness. “It’s better like this,” he murmured without even opening his eyes. He sank back further when Kid didn’t immediately try to stop him, just enjoying the sensation of friction and Kid’s body heat close by.

That brought a smile to Kid’s face he didn’t even realize, genuine in a way he wouldn’t have understood anyway. He found something oddly intimate about sharing this duty, as it were, like they were more in sync with each other when they did it together. “You look so good like this,” the words came out as a puff of air, another moment of awe as Kid looked over his conquest from the night before, “putting on a show for me…”

“Mmm,” Law hummed in a contradictory way, lazily shaking his head as though he disagreed. This time he did open his eyes to meet Kid’s, smug. “I _always_ look good,” he elaborated with a little chuckle. He did appreciate how easily Kid gave praise. He wasn’t nearly as much of a hard ass as he portrayed himself to be.

The warmth in Kid’s tone couldn’t be mistaken for anything else, even if he words would suggest otherwise, “Cocky little bastard.” To punctuate his point he did squeeze his grip just a little tighter, for a moment, reminding Law of who was really in control. It was satisfying to see the way it made his eyes widen in shock, if only for a second.

Letting a laugh bubble up in his throat, Law pulled his free arm up so he could lean on his elbow and bring himself and Kid closer to being face to face. “What, did you want me to be demure or something?” He softened his tone, but they were close enough now that Kid could hear with no problem. “I’m happy I can please you. I’m here to ser _ve_ -” Law broke off into laughter and flopped back down on the bed to cover his face, unable to keep up with the charade. 

Law’s laughter immediately called forth Kid’s own, the intermingled sounds filling the room with an ambient warmth and joy. It was a full thirty seconds before Kid even managed the breath to speak, huffing the words out between short intakes of air, “Yeah, you’re the most obedient, shy, eager little servant I’ve ever met.”

In the time it took Kid to catch his breath, Law had nearly caught his own until Kid’s words sent him into another laughing fit. “Knock it off,” he demanded as much as he could once the laughter had died down enough to speak, “It’s hard to jerk off when you make me laugh.” Had he ever laughed like this during sex before? Law couldn’t think of any other time he’d ever been this comfortable with another person to allow it.

“I mean,” Kid shot Law a purposefully salacious look and injected his words with as much of an effected, dramatically sultry tone as possible, “it’s supposed to be hard.” Pulling his hand back just enough to flick the base of Law’s cock teasingly, Kid shot him a big grin as he simultaneously started rubbing his fingers over the tender skin of Law’s balls and added a little bit more fuel to the fire, “Didn’t think I was gonna have to teach you how dicks work.”

“Wow,” Law replied, purposefully speaking in a flat tone. “That was genius. To what do I owe the honor of allowing the highest intellect in the land to bed me?” The sudden abuse to his sensitive cock made him shudder, but Law was good enough that the movement didn’t change the pitch of his voice. 

“It is an honor,” the response was cheeky but it was also the last bit of patience Kid had to wait any longer. Law had been so damn stunning as Kid was working to undo him and all he wanted was to see more of that, more red skin, more flushed faces, more everything. This time when he moved it was like a beast of prey, confident and smooth as he settled into the space between Law’s legs, nudging the other man’s wider with his knees before returning his attention to his previous work, “Tell me what you want now, Law.”

All previous pretense of playfulness forgotten, Law eagerly wound his legs around Kid’s waist and pulled him in close. “I thought I already made that clear,” he said, voice deeper now that he was focused on his desire, “I want you to fuck me.” Before, finding a bed partner had merely been to scratch an itch. This feeling of want was different, though. It was partially still the same base desire he knew well, but there was also the feeling of just wanting to be connected to another person. To be frank, that was growing on him.

This time when the praise came, it was in a faint growl, “So good for me.” Leaving one hand to tease and tug at Law’s cock and balls, the other blindly groped around on his nightstand until he found the bottle of lubricant he’d purchased a few weeks ago, figuring he might as well have it on hand if he wound up needing it. It was nice to see his preparation pay off. Popping open the cap, he pressed Law’s legs open even further to cant his hips upward, exposing his hole, “Tell me you want my cock in you.”

“That’s kind of the point, Kid,” Law replied, lips stretching wide in a grin as he echoed the redhead’s earlier words back at him. “Didn’t think I was gonna have to teach you how fucking works.” He didn’t have an aversion to telling Kid what he wanted to hear; it _was_ what he wanted after all. It was just too perfect an opportunity to pass up.

This time, when Kid smacked Law, it was a warning shot but a damn close one at that. His palm came down hard right on the inside crease of Law’s thigh, a hairbreadth away from the delicate structure of his cock. Pulling his hand back, Kid didn’t even try to resist smirking at the perfectly outlined handprint he’d left on Law’s skin, “What was that?”

Law had been expecting some sort of retaliation but that didn’t stop the hiss that escaped him. Swallowing the rest of the sound before it could turn into a groan, he let himself look back at Kid with a lazy smirk. “Well, if you need the lesson…” Pushing himself up, Law tightened his grip around the redhead’s waist and reached for his shoulders, pressing against him chest to chest so he could easily whisper in his ear. “I want your cock in me, Kid. I wanna feel it fill me inch by inch until you’ve got nothing left to give and then I want you to fuck me until I can’t see straight. That clear enough for you?”

“Sure is,” Kid’s response was instantaneous and demanding, his mouth coming to silence Law in a searing kiss that was just as much teeth as it was tongue, leaving his lips red and swollen by the time he pulled back. That done he basically flung the smaller man onto his back again, firm hands at his waist pinning him until he could resituate his legs to cross over top of Law’s hips and keep him down. The rush that Law’s words had sent through him wasn’t desire to actually carry out the act itself - at least, not for his own gain - but instead a heady sense of power that came from knowing how badly he was wanted. 

Easily allowing himself to be pushed back down, Law shifted his legs wider to accommodate Kid in the new position he moved into. He enjoyed how tactile the other man was, the fact that they were always touching in one way or another throughout. He really appreciated that now, the redhead’s weight firm over his hips and hands at his waist holding him where he wanted him. The closeness felt like connection rather than a trap and Law reached up to grip Kid’s biceps, wanting more.

The way Law moved so readily for him, so easily, fuck… he never would have thought he’d consider another man beautiful but now, like this, Law was. Kid wanted to reward that, give Law what he needed, show him how behaving can pay off. Returning his attention back to the lube cast haphazardly to the side a few minutes earlier, Kid slicked a few fingers and pressed the first to Law’s willing hole, grinning and bit and waiting until he and Law were locked eye to eye before starting to push it in.

It would have been easy to shut his eyes and sink into the feeling but since Kid had gone out of his way to seek out eye contact Law gave him just that. His eyelids fluttered at the sensation but he fought the urge to let them close and rocked his hips back, both to express his eagerness and to show that Kid didn’t need to take his time.

Kid was already pretty sure he didn’t need to take his time - the point was that he wanted to. He wanted to ease Law open under him, tease him with the promise of what was to come, make him think that he can’t wait another moment longer for Kid to actually take him but then push him beyond that limit anyway. He wanted to ensure that Law felt every individual piece of their time together, every movement, knew exactly what Kid had done to him to get to the finish. 

So he took his time. Just this side of excruciatingly slow, Kid took his time. He opened Law on one finger until the other man couldn’t hardly sense it anymore, then did the same with two and three. He knew at that point that he could probably move on, that Law could take what he had to give, but he wanted more. He didn’t even consider moving to the next step until all four fingers on his right hand were buried deep and Law was taking them without even a hint of resistance, keeping his gaze locked on his partner the entire time.

Though he wanted to get impatient, to demand more, Law had learned better by now. Besides, all his previous partners ever did was the bare minimum anyway and it was almost an expression of affection, wasn’t it, that Kid was taking his time? So although his expression didn’t do much to mask his impatience, Law kept it to himself otherwise and just let his body relax into Kid’s ministrations. It did feel good, even if it wasn’t exactly what he wanted. 

Watching Law clearly temper the impatience he had bubbling to the surface just pleased Kid all the more. “Good for me,” the words came out almost as a purr, laced with pleasure and the promise of something more. Finally pulling his hand free, Kid drew his knees back up under him and then grabbed one of Law’s hands, slicking the other man’s thin fingers with another squirt of lube before guiding that slim hand to wrap around Kid’s own cock, “Feel that? That’s what you’re about t’get. That’s what you want, yeah?”

Only once Kid pulled back did Law close his eyes, tilting his head back even as Kid took his hand and guided it between his legs. “Yes,” he rasped in response, stroking the redhead’s length before letting his thumb trace around the head of his cock. His impatience got the better of him then, as he moved to slowly try and pull Kid forward with the goal of getting him close enough to press inside.

“Eager,” the word was said on the puff of a chuckle, though this time Kid did nothing to stop Law. He moved as the other wished, sliding his knees in closer until Law would be able to get what he was after, encouraging him on the whole while, “That’s it, y’earned it, take what y’what.” It almost stole his breath away, to watch him like this.

Upon realizing Kid wasn’t going to stop him, Law moved his hips down and his legs up around Kid’s waist. Once he’d settled in, he arched his back and used his grip on the redhead’s hips to pull himself up enough to be able to guide Kid’s cock against his hole. From there, he dug his heels into the redhead’s back to encourage him to move forward and close the gap between them.

Holding back a snort of amusement at how bossy Law was, even like this, Kid finally gave in. Placing his palms down flat on either side of Law’s head he paused only for a moment to ensure the angle was right before pushing himself slowly but steadily into the other man, up to the hilt without pausing to give him a chance to even gasp for air. They were pressed close enough together that Kid could feel every movement Law made under him and he wanted to capture and remember every single one.

Though Kid was bigger than average, he’d been so well prepared Law was able to take him without an issue. He shuddered as Kid’s length filled him completely, his own hands moving from Kid’s biceps to his shoulders to keep him close. For someone as well-versed in sex as Law was, he found that being with Kid still offered him plenty of new experiences. Like letting someone fuck him face to face and enjoying it, that was new, but once he’d discovered his appreciation of feeling connection between them, Law was eager to chase more of it.

Bottoming out, Kid groaned softly against the soft skin of Law’s shoulder before twisting his head to capture the other man’s lips yet again. This felt right, pressed chest to thigh, allowing him to envelop the man below him in a way that felt protective and possessive. Body moving on auto pilot now, knowing it just wanted to give Law everything he asked for, Kid began a steady, driving rock into and out of Law’s willing body, stealing his gasps and groans from between his lips as they continued to kiss. 

Even this kissing thing had caught on pretty quickly. Law still wasn’t entirely sure he knew what he was doing but even though it was messy and fumbling Kid had yet to complain so he wouldn’t either. It was a lot of work to hold on with Kid’s jarring thrusts pushing him into the mattress but Law was determined. His want to be close to the other man defied logic in some ways, but right now that wasn’t important. Law couldn’t imagine ever having enough of this.

One of the other delightful things about the way Kid viewed sex was that his lack of drive to orgasm seemed to make the actual act take longer to happen. So even though he’d been hard and lacking attention for quite some time it didn’t particularly bother him and now, being buried inside Law and finally starting to truly fuck him, he felt only the lightest of stirrings in his own body. It meant that he could ensure Law got everything he needed, that the smaller man came with Kid’s cock buried in him, that Law’s pleasure was met before anything else. With a soft grunt of effort and determination, Kid picked up the pace then, starting to set a brutal rhythm even as he kept Law tight in his arms - he was going to ensure Law got everything he wanted. 

It took longer than normal to finish, only because he didn’t want to let go to stroke himself to completion. They were close enough that Law had a decent amount of friction from where his cock was trapped between Kid’s stomach and his own and something about the slower build up made his orgasm, when it finally came, that much stronger. His breath stuttered then all the air left his lungs in a rush, grip on Kid’s body tightening before he went lax almost all at once. 

The moment of Law’s orgasm was like pure fucking bliss to Kid, the way he was able to feel Law’s release through every single one of their contact points making the entire experience almost transcendental. He hadn’t even realized his own was impending until it happened, spilling into Law maybe thirty seconds following the other man’s orgasm. For some reason this whole thing felt right, comfortable and warm and desirable and Kid wouldn’t trade it in for anything.

He held himself above Law for several long moments, until both of them could catch their breath. It was only then that he eased himself out of the smaller man’s body and flopped to the side so he could lay along Law’s flank, rather than crush him underneath the weight of his body. Eyes sliding closed, Kid’s body began its habitual, usual nudging and coercing, until he and Law were just as properly entangled as they had been the night before. Just like they belonged.

They’d only laid together like this twice before but already it felt like habit. Law allowed Kid to curl his legs up under his thighs and hooked his own knees over the redhead’s. The heat flowing through him was a little uncomfortable, but with fewer points of contact he was able to cool off quickly enough that he didn’t immediately try to put distance between them. 

Once he could speak without his chest heaving between words, Law tilted his head to look at Kid. “You got a shower? I should probably get back before my crew thinks you’ve kidnapped me for real and yours thinks I’ve used you as a ritual sacrifice.”

Kid’s answering laugh was warm and lazy, words drifting slowly through the air as he used one hand to trace absent patterns over Law’s chest, just grazing the skin with his nails, “I do, but you can’t use it yet.” Maybe in five or so minutes he’d allow it, but right now they were going to stay just as they are. This bit, right here, was the part that mattered most to him. 

Without arguing, Law shrugged and shifted a little closer. “All right, but if they all come storming in here with torches and pitchforks, you’re on your own.” He didn’t think he’d have the patience to lay here like this all morning; he did often get restless, which was a big part of why he slept so little, but for now he was comfortable, still enjoying the connection between himself and Kid. Maybe something else Kid would wind up teaching him was patience, at least in certain circumstances.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ Akimao](https://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=manga&illust_id=74018678) outdid herself with this. It was sent to us on Tuesday, which is lightning fast considering the chapter came out on Sunday. It was just a very busy week so I'm only just now adding it. We are excited for you guys to see it as well! <3 


	22. *Hail

Just as their Captains were waking to a soft sunrise, so too were those left on shore. The beach was littered with food, utensils, wayward pieces of clothing, and bodies. Kid and Law had been the only two who hadn’t fallen asleep where they lay beneath the shimmering velvet of the night sky. Some had claimed the table as a makeshift bunk for the night, others collected discarded clothes - theirs or otherwise - to make a nest that would shield them from the sand. Ikkaku had drunkenly tied a hammock out of her silks that quickly sank to the ground beneath her, Penguin, and Shachi’s combined weight.

The morning dawned cooler than the previous day, awakening the half-dressed pirate crews with the chill now that the heat of the massive bonfire and the alcohol had waned. Only Bepo seemed unperturbed by this as he picked at the leftover food from the night before, pleasantly greeting those who were groaning back to consciousness around him. Clione disappeared into the ship with Bolt, hungover and annoyed but grateful to find solace in the warmth of the Polar Tang’s kitchen, which he allowed his fellow cook to tour as they began to make arrangements for breakfast. 

For his part, Wire awoke in a tangled mess of limbs with Heat and Hex and found he really wasn’t too concerned with whatever may have happened the night before. Groaning as he pushed himself upright, Wire took stock of his surroundings and made mental note to bring some sort of trinket back for Yara. But first, he needed food. 

And that was how the morning passed, every crew member rousing in their own time either due to the cold, hunger, or an overwhelming urge to take a leak. Gathering around the remains of their ruckus the night before they began to pass around the food Bolt and Clione had brought to shore and slowly struck up conversation as logical sense and the ability to think cognitively returned. 

When their Captains finally made an appearance and found landfall yet again a quiet cheer went up, for no reason other than the fact their crews loved them. Though that didn’t mean they were above making blatant comments, as could be evidenced when Jinx leaned over and dramatically - and loudly - stage whispered to Penguin, “They totally fucked last night, look at ‘em.”

Making a face, Penguin slowly lowered his fork back to his plate and kicked sand at Jinx. “Fuck off, I’m trying to eat, I don’t wanna think about that.” He still wasn’t too sure he trusted his captain with Eustass Kid of all people, regardless of the fact that he had a great time with a number of his crew the night before. 

Whether she was just not paying attention or was trying to antagonize him, Ikkaku watched the two captains thoughtfully as she ate before piping up. “Yeah, you’re right. Captain looks way too happy for a guy who didn’t get laid.” 

Jinx grinned at that, head bobbing excitedly as someone agreed to enter the conversation with him, “That’s what I’m saying! No man’s that relaxed without a recent jizz.” Coming from a crew made up of only adult men and one young girl that the rest of them considered a little sister, Jinx felt like he could speak to that subject with quite some authority. 

Ikkaku snorted a laugh and then looked at Penguin for a few seconds as a sly grin spread across her face. “Yeah, that’s true enough.” Looking back down at her breakfast again, Ikkaku felt herself shaking with laughter she was trying to hold back at the slowly dawning look of realization spreading over her lover’s face. 

Unable to decide between feeling affronted and deeply embarrassed, Penguin ended up landing directly between the two, a look of horrified indignation crossing his features as he began to sputter nonsense in his quest to come up with a response that was actually articulate. Quickly coming to the realization he was failing at that, the smaller man decided instead to hide his blush by yanking the neck of his boiler suit up around his face and tucking himself inward to hide further by focusing very intently on his oatmeal.

“Bepo! Come here, I think Peng’s a little cold,” Shachi called out, amused at his friend’s discomfort. He was usually the one who had to put up with Penguin’s antics so it was certainly enjoyable to see how quickly Ikkaku was able to turn it around on him and he was eager to keep it going. 

Genuine concern written across his face, Bepo responded to the call for aid immediately, bustling over with a warm cup of coffee and willing to share a hug for body warmth. “Oh no,” he opined softly as he set the mug in front of his crew mate, coming up behind him to wrap his arms firmly around Penguin’s midsection, “I will help.”

“Aww, look at you guys. So wholesome,” Jinx snickered at the sour look he could just barely make out on Penguin’s face behind the collar of his boiler suit. A good number of the Kid Pirates like to give each other shit and he and Hex often found themselves on the receiving end of it thanks to the pranks they liked to play. It was nice to see someone else getting the piss taken out of him for once.

“I swear to the Gods…” but Penguin’s grumbling was squeezed out by the quite literal bear hug he suddenly found himself trapped in, leaving him wheezing a bit for air as Bepo fretted and worried about his internal temperature regulation somewhere above his head. Glowering as best he could at the combined laughter he hear ringing in the air around him, Penguin was in the middle of an internal vow to get revenge when both captains decided to plunk themselves down in the middle of the group.

“So,” Law began with a raised eyebrow as he took in the expressions of those gathered around him. He could tell someone had said something to fluster Penguin judging by the way he was hiding in his collar - either Ikkaku or Jinx since he knew Shachi and Bepo were usually the ones being flustered by his second in command. It was an amusing sight to come across, to say the least, “It looks like you all managed to get along without murdering each other.”

Baying a bit like a wolf at the moon for a moment, Hex paused only to let a huge grin spread across his face before commenting, “Hail to the King and Queen of the Ruckus!” They’d all come to an agreement, somehow, the night before that their party deserved a name. Ikkaku had mentioned thinking she overhead Law referring to it as such during preparations and they’d all decided it was exactly right. 

“That’s true,” Jinx supplied helpfully, unable to hide a laugh at Hex’s antics even as he tried to respond to Law’s question, “no dead bodies yet. And we all decided that you got fucked last night, so we’re learning how to agree on shit too.” Kicking his feet up on an empty chair he just shot the other captain a disrespectful grin and waited to see how he’d respond. 

Far from offended, Law just mimicked the other man’s expression and slouched back in his chair lazily. “You’re all learning to be wrong together too,” Law began, his expression taking on a sly edge, “last night your captain was too tired for the good stuff, but he made up for it this morning.”

Jinx only cackled gleefully in response, giddy at Law’s answer. He was beginning to think maybe he could like this guy. For his part Hex was nodding sagely, looking over to Kid for a second before speaking, “Yeah, I can see that.” While the crew didn’t really know details, they were all pretty clear on Kid’s disinterest in most sexual encounters. Trafalgar must really mean something to him if he agreed to it at all.

While Kid’s crew seemed amused at Law’s confirmation, the Heart Pirates - minus Ikkaku, who had decided she liked Eustass Kid - looked uncomfortable. There was no disgust or disapproval from them, but they were clearly still a little uncertain about their captain’s taste in dangerous men. No one voiced that aloud, though. Satisfied with his initial interaction with Jinx, Law turned to Kid and elbowed him playfully to get his attention. “Hear that? They crowned you Queen of the Ruckus.” 

Wholly unconcerned with that, Kid only grinned and shrugged, casual in his response, “Who took it in the ass this morning?” Taking immense, if childish, pleasure in reaction that got from Law’s crew he considered whether or not there was something else to say. That was when the realization hit that although he really had no qualms with the title, there was a different point of pride on the line, “And I won last night, so you got it double backwards.”

“I don’t see what any of that has to do with you being a king,” Law replied flatly, leaning back in his chair and gesturing at the beach before them, encompassing the makeshift camp both crews were inhabiting. “This is my kingdom that I provided and prepared for you and your crew. I’d say that’s more kingly than something as trite as getting fucked or losing once, which makes us even.”

“You didn’t build this beach. And,” he added with extra emphasis, “we brought the feast table, so your “kingly” ass would have been feeding us off the dirt.” Not content to let Law laze around all smug and content, Kid pulled him from his chair to sit in the redhead’s lap, holding him fast despite any squirming, “You’re my queen, deal with it.”

Rolling his eyes at Kid’s insistence, Law opened his mouth to argue further but was interrupted by the sudden change of position. He did struggle somewhat at first because he had a reputation, damn it, but he very quickly decided that if he was being named some sort of royalty he might as well make use of his human furniture. “The actual power behind the face of the throne...” he mused aloud before grinning, “I think that may suit me better.” 

Chuckling dryly, Kid just rolled his eyes and looped his arms around Law’s waist affectionately, “Sure.” Looking around at the assembled mass of sleepy pirates, Kid considered the day ahead of him for a moment before holding in a sigh and pressing a kiss to the back of Law’s neck, “We should eat and get going, men. Base ain’t gonna build itself.” He needed to get back to Yara.

In all of this, Law had almost forgotten that this wasn’t where Kid was planning to stay and that the redhead didn’t trust him enough to have him on the little island he’d claimed without supervision. It was a strange sort of cognitive dissonance that made him tense, suddenly feeling uneasy. How could he forget that they still knew so little of each other? Part of it must be that he felt so at ease around Kid in spite of all logical thought. 

Feeling Law tense in his lap, Kid’s attention swung back to the smaller man immediately. His palms went flat over Law’s hips, rubbing soothing little circles into the crest with his thumbs, voice soft and soothing, “When am I gonna see you again?” He could tell that something had set Law on edge and he was hoping that - whatever it was - he could put it to ease.

“When are you going to _allow_ me to?” Law replied, perhaps more sharply than he had intended. Being held in Kid’s lap while simultaneously disappointed he’d be leaving soon and annoyed with himself for feeling that way made him fidgety. He could have easily given himself some space, but he couldn’t even really be sure he wanted that, either. It was easy to fall into the ease of being with Kid, but now he was realizing he’d really have to process what this meant and what he wanted if this was going to work. 

Whatever response he’d expected, that wasn’t it. The look of genuine confusion that flitted across his face then was enough to make that clear for their surrounding crew members and he immediately felt the rising itch of irritation start to warm the back of his neck, “What the hell’s that mean?” Though he didn’t unwrap his arms from Law’s waist he did go still, quiet as he waited for a response.

Kid’s irritation only fed into his own and made him tense more. His shoulders and the back of his neck ached already with the emotional whiplash. “I don’t know how to find you,” he stated simply. Clearly the rest of their nearby crew had caught on to the sudden animosity between their captains, judging by the sounds of clearing throats and shifting. Ikkaku pulled Penguin, Shachi, and Bepo away, insisting they needed to start cleaning her fabric before it became somehow damaged. It was as elegant an excuse to escape the awkwardness as there could be.

Kid’s men made no such effort at tactfulness, choosing instead to just shuffle away silently as one large, amorphous mass. Maybe something about the sudden space around them let Kid calm a little, though the shit Law was saying still didn’t make any sense, “Yes you do.” Law had been the one who found him just three days ago, after all. What in the hell was he going on about?

“I find it hard to believe you’ll just spend your days waiting in the woods for me to show up.” He felt incredibly foolish, but Law had always been intensely private. Anyone he’d gotten physically close to had been for a reason and so any social interaction he was used to came with layers of meaning and falsehoods. He had none of that with Kid, and when telling the truth had always been dangerous in the past it didn’t seem like such an easy, obvious answer now. He felt exposed and uncertain, which just fed into annoyance with himself and the situation in a negative feedback loop he didn’t know how to escape from.

“I have lookouts?” Kid countered, stating it with an odd sense of confusion threading his tone. Why was Law suddenly acting like this? It made his fucking head hurt… he’d just wanted to get back and make Yara happy again, which he knew was going to be an all day process, at minimum. The last thing he needed was for both of them to be angry with him, “Why are you being an ass all the sudden?”

“I’m not.” Law didn’t mean to be short, but he didn’t know what else to say or how to express how he felt about being kept from knowing how to get to Kid on his own. How could he speak to his feelings when he didn’t understand them himself? They were sort of friends who sometimes fucked, so why did it matter that Kid was keeping his privacy? Why did it feel like such a disparity between them, feeling like they were so close in the face of overwhelming evidence otherwise? Why did he even care so much?

Not wanting to fight Kid responded only with a grimace, turning his head to the side and frowning angrily at the sand. He didn’t know what was wrong or how to make things better and all he’d hoped for was a nice bite to eat with Law and their crews before he spent the next twelve hours either getting yelled at or handed the silent treatment. 

At a loss, Law let the silence fill around them until he was too uncomfortable to stand it. Clione and Bolt had started laying out fresh food from the Polar Tang and Law used that as a good enough excuse to push himself up to go and pick at the spread. There were the usual rice balls that his cook had come to anticipate he would like but even that didn’t seem satisfying. 

For his part, Kid let Law go with something of a morose grunt, finding his second and immediately going to nurse his wounds - whatever they were - in the comfort of his friend’s presence. He was quiet as he ate for the most part, though he did continue to encourage inter-crew mingling, if the obvious chance presented itself. Unable to stop his irritation with Law from percolating in his brain, Kid shoved another bite of omelette into his mouth to avoid saying what he was thinking out loud: it was bullshit that Law wanted to get persnickety about not knowing exactly where he was - at least Law knew the island Kid was staying on; as soon as Law packed up and sailed off, Kid would have no fucking clue where he was.

Once food was made available, Ikkaku returned to the table as well, several seats down from her captain. In spite of their distance, she still whispered as she leaned in to Penguin. “Did I miss something? The Captain seemed like he was in such a good mood and then all of a sudden he wasn’t. His moods don’t usually change that quickly.”

Pulling a face, Penguin shook his head and shoved a forkful of food in his mouth like he was trying to avoid answering the question. Issue was, he just didn’t want to say what had popped into his mind, but it was Ikkaku and he couldn’t rightfully ignore her question. Swallowing resignedly, Penguin shot a furtive look down the table at his captain before returning his gaze to his girlfriend, “... Lover’s spat, I guess.”

“Spat about what, though?” The question wasn’t necessarily directed at Penguin so much as just her way of thinking out loud. Ikkaku had made up her mind about Kid, but more than the fact she liked him was that he seemed to make her captain happy. That was something they all wanted, no matter how grumpy some of them might be about his choice in a partner. 

That, Penguin didn’t have an answer for and he’d learned long ago with Law that if you weren’t one hundred percent sure of something, you didn’t present it as an option in cases like this. Sighing he just shook his head, leaning into Ikkaku and circling his arm around her back, “Nothing we can do.”

“Oh, don’t be like that,” she replied, hoping that putting one of them in a better mood might help. Ikkaku knew how in his head her captain could be, but Eustass seemed to be more open about his feelings. He might be easier to reach. “Oi, Captain Kid. You said you wanted to learn how to climb my rig before you go. Think you still have it in you now that you’re not fallin’ over drunk?” 

Kid had been sullenly staring into his mug and responding to Killer’s quiet conversation in mostly grunts, but Ikkaku’s challenge caught his ear. Looking up at her, the redhead considered her words for a moment before responding with his own, “Did y’miss me getting to the top last night?” Though his tone was flatter than it had been the night before, it didn’t come across as dismissive.

“Ahh, that’s just with your arms. No skill in that,” she shot back with a grin, leaning over the table to better catch his gaze. “You wanna do it proper, you gotta use your legs too.” It had been easy enough to pick up from the night before that he was not the type of man to pass up a challenge. “Takes a lot of coordination, though. Most people can’t manage, so if you didn’t wanna make a fool of yourself in front of everyone here, I guess I could give you a pass.”

Shoving himself away from the table before she could even finish speaking, Kid rose to his considerable height and stared her down, quirking an eyebrow impatiently, “Coming, or what?” If he was strong enough to do it with just his arms, adding feet into the mix would only make it easier. He wasn’t afraid of some pretty scraps of cloth.

Grinning, Ikkaku pushed herself away from the table and led the taller man to the rig without a hint of intimidation. She made him watch her climb a few times before she explained what it was she was doing; how she held one leg aloft and where to have the fabric lay to properly wrap her foot, then how to use her free leg to hook the fabric beneath her foot to create a loop to stand on. Once her introduction was completed, she hopped down and gestured for the redhead to take his turn.

While Kid was brash and headstrong and very prone to running into fights without much forethought, he was also a very careful study when he wanted to be. Though it was organic in nature, he could still see the math behind what Ikkaku was teaching him - by creating the sling for his bottom foot, he would allow the rest of his muscles to rest if needed before resetting to climb higher. Also, it was repetitive, almost mechanical motion that would bring him to the top of the rig. He could do this. 

Stepping up to the spot she’d offered, Kid took a moment to consider his placement before lifting his dominant leg behind the silks at the angle she’d described. Having watched her jump up into her first climb, Kid considered doing the same for a moment before deciding against it - she was significantly shorter than he was; if he jumped into it, he’d be lucky to get two total climbs before he had reached the top. 

That decided, he pulled his weight up into his arms and tried to scoop the fabric up and around so he could sandwich it between his feet. Though he had a few false starts and, in one instance, somehow managed to part the silks and completely lose sight of both feet, it was only a couple minutes later that he managed it somewhat fluidly, stepping up into the sling he’d created for himself with ease.

“Well, look at that. You did it. Real question is, can you do it again?” Ikkaku challenged with a brazen grin. She’d taught some of her fellow crew how to climb and all of them succeeded with the initial climb. The difficult thing was figuring out how to move your body to recreate the initial movements while simultaneously holding yourself up in the air.

 

The beautiful thing about Kid was that once he’d figured out the mechanics behind something, he could recreate it almost without thought. Though he knew he’d probably never have the grace that Ikkaku had displayed, that wasn’t really his thing anyway. Engaging his shoulders and dropping the silks from his feet, Kid pulled his knees in toward his chest and immediately reset the sling around his dominant foot, rising to his full height again and now a good five feet off the ground. He couldn’t help but grin a little, proud of himself for it.

Ikkaku nodded as he managed to get up once more, allowing her appreciation of his skill to show. “Not bad for your first time. Get all the way to the top and I’ll show you how to come down.” The way she showed him was the easiest way she had discovered to climb but it was a one way journey. Coming down was another matter entirely and involved switching the way the silk wrapped around the leg of the climber. 

Moving a little more fluidly with each climb, Kid made it to the top with relative ease. Hanging out in the light breeze, he let his focus shift from Ikkaku for a moment to look over at Law, a frown tugging at his lips again at the way the other man was still so distant and inattentive. Sure, Kid knew that he himself ran hot and cold, but at least when he switched temperatures people fucking knew why.

Quickly stepping in before the other captain could get too distracted, Ikkaku called up to him. “So now you have to wrap one leg around the fabric from the outside to the inside and slide down hand over hand.” It seemed to lift the redhead’s spirits, at least for a moment. She could see when his gaze shifted even from her vantage point below him. 

Kid’s response was delayed as he tried to parse through what she said, but he hadn’t been paying attention and so he’d missed the first chunk anyway. After a moment he gave up struggling to put together a puzzle with missing pieces and shouted down, “What?” Blinking at her with something of a surly look on his face, Kid hung out and waited for an answer. 

“Ok, so the fabric is across the front of your leg. You need to hold yourself and wrap your leg around it from the outside to the inside and then stand on the tail where it wraps over your foot. Then slide down hand over hand until you reach the bottom.” Ikkaku appreciated that Kid was still playing along with her distraction, whether he knew that’s what it was or not. 

“Oh, yeah, of course,” came the responding shot, but his tone was more playful this time. Good god damn thing he had strong arms, or this would be awful. Taking just a minute to run through her instruction in his head, Kid did his best to ensure what she said made sense before attempting to replicate it in reality. The movement it took to loop the fabric around his leg that way was a little strange, but he was fairly certain he’d done it right when he started to slide toward the ground.

Ikkaku clapped and whooped when the redhead made it to the ground, moving close enough to squeeze his bicep. “I guess these give you an advantage. You exceeded my expectations, Captain,” she said with a grin and a wink. “I can give you more lessons the next time you find yourself at our humble beachfront.”

Kid just huffed out a small answering chuckle at her apparent flirtation, running a hand through his hair as he looked down the beach - or rather, at Law - in consideration before turning his attention back to her, “Yeah? An’ how long you gonna be staying here?” Again, Law had made no promises as to where he’d be posted up and now he was wondering if he could at least get something out of his crew. 

“Dunno, that’s up to the captain,” Ikkaku replied, glancing over at Law as well. Her captain’s piercing eyes were watching both of them, hooded and hawk-like while his expression gave away nothing. “He hasn’t been in a hurry to leave, though,” she offered, hoping that was good enough news to improve his mood.

Huffing softly, Kid caught Law’s eyes for a moment, just long enough to make sure the other man recognized it. That done he had one last question for Ikkaku, which he delivered with aplomb, “What’s your cost? Pirates don’t do shit for free.” On top of that, Kid had no urge to be in her debt, not for anything.

Ikkaku pretended to think about that for a moment before she leaned in, gesturing for him to bend down so she could speak quietly, “... Give our captain another chance before you go. To be less… abrasive. That’s all.” She stood up straight then turned and shook out the fabric before climbing up into it again, expertly winding her feet up so she could sit back against the little hammock she’d made for herself. “Next time I’ll teach you how to do this,” she said, gesturing to the knots around her feet, “you’ll need them for tricks.”

Whatever demand he’d been expecting from Ikkaku, that wasn’t it. It was enough to make him pull a face, half confusion and half uncertainty, though it was less at the request itself and more at the implication that she was happy with the idea of them together. But… that was nice, he guessed. Proof the party had done its thing? “Yeah, fine…” he agreed somewhat sullenly to the little golden monkey twisted up in her silks. 

“Then we’re even,” Ikkaku declared with a grin, shooing him away one-handed before glancing over at Penguin. It could be a little hard to tell sometimes, but right now he was clearly eyeing Kid with something akin to suspicion. It was kind of cute, in a way, if misguided. “Peng, it's your turn! I wanna practice what we were talking about the other day.”

With Ikkaku running interference with Kid, Law actually had time to process. The fact of the matter was, he wanted there to be a show of trust between them. He was bothered by the fact that Kid didn’t feel like he was worthy of knowing how to get to him. Annoyingly, the first show of trust would have to come from him in the form of honestly expressing that. He just wasn’t sure if he’d have the opportunity to now.

While his initial urge was to still be testy about it, Kid forced himself to take a deep breath and hold it for a moment, hoping it would calm him as he approached Law. He wasn’t entirely sure how to do what Ikkaku had asked, so it might end with him just stepping into Law’s bubble again and waiting to see what happened, but at least he could say he tried.

Not knowing what to expect one moment and seeing Kid approaching him the next made Law feel fidgety again, like the redhead had somehow been able to read his thoughts. He dropped his hands into his lap and stared down at the table in case he’d been wrong about Kid’s trajectory. The last thing he wanted was to seem desperate or foolish.

Making room for himself, Kid got between Law and Penguin, turning so his ass rested on the edge of the table and he could stay standing. He was slouched enough that it didn’t read as intimidating or challenging, but it was still a little more removed than was Kid’s normal tendency. He tried to find words for a moment but then gave up with an internal huff - everything either sounded demanding or demeaning and he wasn’t really going for either of those.

When it became clear that reaching him was Kid’s goal, Law looked up again. He was used to being conscious of his expressions and mannerisms when he was trying to act a certain way to gain someone’s trust but using those skills now with Kid just added to his discomfort. The silence from the redhead didn’t help, either. Once his expression was neutral again, he looked up and met Kid’s gaze. “...are you leaving now?” 

Of course. Why would he have thought that Law would somehow make this conversation easy now, of all times. Idiot… Sighing out his frustration, Kid shoved a hand through his hair and squeezed a little, letting the pinpricks of pain help control his emotions before he spoke. “... Y’want me to?” okay, so it wasn’t exactly an offer to mend fences, but it was better than being snarky. 

“Tch.” Law clicked his tongue and crossed his arms, feeling a bit better with a physical barrier between them, even though a majority of his annoyance was directed at himself. His good moods never seemed to last and it always seemed to be the littlest things that pushed him off the edge of the mountain he’d spent so long climbing. Maybe he just really didn’t know how to be happy in a way that was consistent. 

He’d spent all that mental energy sorting through how he felt and what was wrong and how to fix it that to let it all go to waste now would have just made him even more frustrated, so when he spoke the words were forced but genuine. “No, I don’t. Did you not pick up on that before?” 

“Don’t get bitchy,” came Kid’s automatic response, but it was spoken soft enough that it almost didn’t reach Law’s ears to begin with. Shifting slightly to angle himself more toward Law, Kid tried to figure out what to say in a way that made sense without coming off as belittling - easier thought than said, as it turns out, “I’m not itching to get out of here either, but we’ve both got shit we gotta do.”

It was almost funny enough to laugh aloud at Kid’s response. Law had been the one telling himself he didn’t have time for this and yet here he was. It was a good thing he’d made up his mind to be honest, because sticking with his usual method of pushing people away and throwing himself into his goals would have been so much easier to fall back into, rather than changing his usual habits, “Yeah, I’m aware.” He still had a few hearts to collect and then there was the matter of getting them in the hands of the marines… “It’d be nice if I didn’t need a chaperone to come see you. Or whatever.” 

“Oh,” at Law’s last words, the realization hit Kid square in the face like a floppy wet fish. Law was mad because he thought Kid was holding him at bay, or something, or didn’t trust him. Kid could get that. Addressing it though, that was the harder part. But it did make Kid’s stance soften, his body weight easing a bit more into the table as one hand snaked out to stroke down Law’s arm, “yeah, okay.” 

Sighing softly as he tilted his head back up to consider the sky, Kid was quiet for a moment. How did he say enough without saying too much? Some form of honestly was clearly the only option here, but he wasn’t yet ready to tell Law about Yara. So he did the best he could, “It ain’t about seeing me. If that were it, I’d draw y’a map. It’s just… I got a few things I gotta keep close for now and you dropping in unannounced, it could…” Ending with a helpless shrug, Kid figured Law could figure out the rest of what he was trying to say.

For someone who didn’t really like being touched, Law still relaxed considerably when he felt Kid’s hand on his arm. Every little moment of honesty being rewarded positively was slowly putting the lie to his belief that telling the truth was dangerous. Law found it easier to look Kid in the face now that he knew the redhead was listening and that he hadn’t somehow undone all their growth with his mood swing. 

It did make him feel a little better that Kid would have been willing to let him in if it was just the two of them, but Law had his own things he wasn’t ready to share yet and there was the privacy of his crew to consider too. That he could understand, “Why don’t you draw me a map anyway and I’ll call you before I come? If the problem is just me showing up unannounced, that would solve it.”

The little laugh that Kid gave in response was light and affirmative, though he did change his tune only slightly as he spoke, “I’m not actually gonna draw anybody a map, because that’s asking for it to fall into the wrong hands, but ring next time and I’ll take you through un-blindfolded. You’re just gonna have to learn by memory.”

“You’ve still got a lot to learn about me if you think I let things fall into the wrong hands,” Law drawled in response. Though he was still tense and his tone was a little tight, it lacked the sharpness from before. “Should I use the number Penguin has or do you have another one?” The last thing he wanted was to decide he wanted some attention and end up talking to Killer.

Kid’s response came as though he could read Law’s mind, “What, afraid of finding Kill on the other end of the line?” It wasn’t that Kid thought Law would be frivolous with said map, but fact of the matter was that neither of them were the strongest pirates out there. There was always the risk of something happening to Law and important documents finding their way into unsavory hands. 

But that was neither here nor there as part of this discussion right now. Bending forward at the waist, Kid snatched up Law’s wrist and turned the other man’s hand over, so it was palm up, “Still got a pen hidden somewhere?” They were pretty much face to face now, close enough for the grin on Kid’s lips to take up most of Law’s field of vision.

Recognizing the symmetry in the moment, Law felt himself grinning in kind. There was a brief flash of blue and in the next moment there was a pen in Kid’s hand. “I’ve got a lot hidden ‘somewhere’,” he replied, flattening his palm in anticipation.

“I dunno,” Kid murmured, bending over his work and blocking the view of his face as he began scrawling his number down on Law’s palm, “seen you naked. Not many places to hide shit like that.” Not that it stopped the amusement in his tone from ringing clear in Law’s ears. Feeling like he’d just managed to avoid a potential typhoon, Kid’s body finally relaxed fully.

“Well, I’m not naked right now. Plenty of places to hide things.” Law felt himself calming now, as well. “I might still have a heart in this jacket somewhere, actually,” he was fairly certain he’d moved all the hearts to a spare chest in his cabin, but he’d been distracted lately so the statement wasn’t completely unlikely to be true.

Kid’s answering groan made his opinions on that clear enough. Finishing with his task, the redhead affectionately tossed Law’s hand back in his lap, “And people think I’m fucked up.” Lifting his head he shot a smile Law’s way, though this time it was much more nervous than usual, like his confidence needed just a little reassurance to fully come out.

“Oh don’t worry, you are. You’re just the queen of fucked up, and I’m the king.” Slipping the pen out from between Kid’s fingers, Law met his gaze with an answering smile of his own. What had seemed irreparably broken just a few minutes ago felt better. Solid, not like they had just made a tenuous adjustment that wouldn’t hold. Maybe this whole relationship was more possible than he’d thought.

The bark of Kid’s laughter was full of confidence this time as he pushed himself upright, “I’ll give you that one.” Placing his hands the chair on either side of Law’s hips, Kid encircled the other man in his arms and leaned in for a kiss, “But I’m into it.” Taking the option provided to him, Kid pressed their lips together - things always felt better when they communicated this way. 

Though Law was had begun to relax, he was still a little tense. But he’d been put enough at ease that he accepted the kiss without hesitation, returning it lazily. They’d kissed enough times that it was starting to feel more natural, which was something he’d always thought would be impossible. When Kid pulled back, Law considered him for a moment before he spoke. “...look, don’t expect me to mope around because I miss you or anything, but I’ll still probably come see you tomorrow. Or something. If I have time.” That had sounded a lot smoother in his head…

“Good,” Kid’s smile morphed into something very genuine this time, eyes growing soft for a moment as he took in what Law saying that meant. It felt… good, to have his company wanted like this. Like he had value in the eyes of someone other than his crew. Not that he needed it, or anything, but… just saying. It was then that a despondent little look flitted across his face as he considered the situation he’d be returning to shortly, “Just call first. And it’ll have to be in the afternoon.” Hopefully Yara would be placated by then.

“I said I’d call first. I can be a man of my word when I want to be,” Law replied cheekily. He knew this meant that Kid would be leaving and part of him wanted to delay some more but ultimately the sooner he was gone the sooner he could get back to business, “Go on, get off my beach. We have to clean up and get back to work.”

“Like hell we’re leaving without doing our fair share,” turning to face his men, Kid shouted out an order to get shit cleaned up and do it fast. Watching his crew move to obey, Kid cracked his knuckles before returning his attention to Law. “I brought it down here,” he started, gesturing at the table, “you can put it back.”

“You act like that’s a challenge for me,” Law replied, leaning back in his chair and kicking his feet up on the table. It would require him to push his Room farther than Kid had seen before, but at this point he really didn’t care if the redhead knew the extent of his powers. He closed his eyes to better concentrate and the sphere of light centered on him briefly before expanding outward to encompass the beach, the table, their ships. 

He could sense there was nothing on Kid’s deck that would be damaged or otherwise harmed by moving the table back now and with a little _push_ the table disappeared and reappeared on the ship. Law’s heels fell into the sand with a final thump and he opened his eyes again. “Easy as breathing.”

The look Kid was giving him was one of knowing respect. “Didn’t think you’d have trouble,” he commented, the honesty evident. He just liked seeing how powerful Law was, when it didn’t involve stealing body parts - it made Kid feel an even sharper urge to pin him down and make him beg for what he wanted. There was its own kind power in having that sort of sway over someone as strong and lethal as Law and he wanted to enjoy it.

“Good.” Pushing himself up and out of the chair, Law helped oversee the cleanup efforts as well, grateful that Kid had stuck around, though he wouldn’t have held it against him if he’d just left since Law had already delayed him. Over the course of the time it took to return all the odds and ends to their proper homes, Law felt himself relax fully. Everything was as it should be, so this time when he went to say goodbye it was with affection and not hesitation. “We can handle the rest from here.”

Nodding in understanding, Kid slung his arm around Law’s waist one last time, pulling him in close for a moment before letting his return to the companionship of his crew. “See you tomorrow, my queen,” he smirked as he blew a kiss Law’s way, ending the whole thing with a dramatic wink before he turned to follow Killer and the rest of his crew back onto their ship. By all estimations, the party had done what it needed to. He was satisfied with the outcome.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anybody have any good Kid/Law ficrecs for us?
> 
> Also, are there any good places y'all know of to chat? Since Tumblr has gone down hill I feel like there have to be other options I'm just not in the loop on.
> 
> In spite of [ Akimao](http://akimao.tumblr.com/post/184152891966/hear-that-they-crowned-you-queen-of-the-ruckus) saying she didn't get to draw what she wanted, we still love this! Kid looks every bit the smug King of the Ruckus that he is. <3 


	23. Lull

Arriving back to their base toward late afternoon, Kid bit his bottom lip and studied the bundle of carefully picked flowers in his hand. They used to make her feel better, but with every passing year it became harder and harder for him to figure out the exact right way to handle Yara’s emotions. He figured it was part of growing up - or at least hoped it was - or a girl thing, but he was really quite anxious about how she planned on greeting him. 

Stepping into the large antechamber, he made space for his guys to bring any leftover supplies back in, taking in a deep breath to steady himself just for a moment before he called out for her, “Yara? Kiddo, we’re back.” Four years ago, she would have run to him and jumped tearfully in his arms. What he wouldn’t give for that to be the reaction today, too.

Wrench approached before Yara did, looking more than a little guilty. “Uh… Captain? She’s probably sleepin’. She woke up this morning with a cold so we got some soup in her and had her stay in bed. She’s fine, though, just a runny nose and sneezing and that, so you don’t need to worry.” The last bit was added hastily. 

When he’d left the day before, Yara had been perfectly healthy. Screaming so loudly, and for such a length of time that she’d turned completely red, but healthy. For her to get so sick so suddenly, that made Kid’s heart drop even further into his stomach. “Okay, thanks,” it took all he had to just acknowledge his crew member’s words before he hurried deeper into the cave, going to Yara’s bedside to just sit and wait with her until she woke. 

The sound of activity carried throughout the caverns and Yara woke before Kid even arrived. She was sitting up and moving to get out of bed when her brother rounded the corner. When she saw him she paused and immediately threw herself back in bed so he wouldn’t realize she’d been going to find him. Pulling the covers back up over her head, her muffled words made it clear she was congested. “Go away, I’m sleeping!”

Deciding not to act like she was still mad at him until she proved it, Kid just gave her a gentle smile she couldn’t see and approached softly, sitting on the edge of her bed after depositing the flowers on her desk, “That’s okay, kiddo. I’ll be quiet. I just wanna sit with you.” He always felt so awful when she was sick and for it to happen today, of all days, was the worst.

“Nuh uh!” Burrowing in further, she moved her head under the pillow. “Go away, I’m mad at you.” She knew her voice was likely too muffled to hear clearly, and she couldn’t decide if she was trying to make herself hard to hear on purpose or not. Part of her wanted to be comforted by her brother because she was sick while the other part blamed him for it in the first place. 

“I know,” reaching over to the little nightstand they’d built for her (She needed a place to house her goggles, after all.) Kid laid out the flowers he’d bought her, quiet and careful as he moved, “it’s okay. I still want to stay with you.” He’d stopped trying to fight her emotions a long time ago, he’d learned that lesson. It was best to just let her feel them until she was ready and able to move on.

Yara’s indecision is what kept her from trying to kick him out again. She _had_ missed him and felt miserable right now and his presence was comforting. After a short time, a coughing fit rattled her enough that she emerged from the blankets. “...go get me water. My throat hurts.” She knew she could ask nicely but she was still feeling bitter about being left behind.

Before he rose to obey, Kid leaned over just enough to press a quick kiss to her forehead, “Yes, Captain.” Pushing himself off her bed, Kid groaned softly as a brief ache touched his bones, turns out climbing up and down silks was a little different than what he did most of his days, apparently. But it was only a passing twinge and he moved on, returning with Yara’s water soon enough, complete with a little drinking straw and all - she much preferred them when she was sick.

While he was gone, Yara had pushed her pillows up against the wall so she could lean against it as she sat and cocooned herself in her blanket while she waited for Kid to get back. Once he returned, she took the water and sipped it, making a face at the way it felt going down - like her throat was full of sand. “I didn’t think you were ever gonna come back,” she complained, complete with a pout around her straw as she took another sip.

Tsking her just slightly at that, Kid sat beside her and gently pulled his little bundle of sister and furs into the crook of his arm, careful not to spill her water as he moved her. “Have I ever not come back before?” he asked somewhat sternly, though the tone was still threaded with kindness nonetheless. It was important to him that she never doubt his ability to care for her.

“Well, you never left me behind to go to a party before, neither,” she huffed, though she didn’t resist when he shifted their positions. Kid was always warm and she felt really cold right now. Huddling closer in the furs and blankets she tilted her head back to look up at him with narrowed eyes. “Did you have a party with your boyfriend? Is that why I couldn’t go?”

Closing his eyes and willing the gods to give him patience, Kid held his breath for a moment before responding, “He’s not my boyfriend.” Even with the attitude, this was all very promising. Yara agreeing to curl up against his side meant that she wasn’t truly that angry. “Are we gonna have to postpone your party until you’re better, then?” he inquired, hoping that the change in subject would divert her attention. 

“NO! You promised me one tonight, that means you gotta do it tonight! I’m not that sick, it’s just the sniffles.” As though to prove her point, Yara shoved the furs away and exposed herself to the cool air in the cave. She shivered almost immediately, goosebumps rising all along her arms but she stubbornly crossed her arms and ignored it. 

“Yara,” voice a soft scold, Kid wrapped her back up in her blankets and pulled her fully into his lap, “don’t make yourself worse.” Before she could argue he started stroking her hair, wrapping his free arm around her to support her and keep her warm, “Okay, if you’re up to it, but you have to stay in your furs, at least.” He didn’t really want to take her party away from her, anyway. The question had just been a useful distraction.

“Then how come you never stay wrapped up in stuff whenever you get sick?” Yara pouted, reaching for her water again. Talking was making the sandy feeling worse but she didn’t want to cough too much just in case Kid did try to change his mind about the party. It was really a rhetorical question, anyway, so she dropped the subject by the time she was finished with her water. “Tell me about the party.”

Shrugging a little, Kid did well at playing the nonplussed, vaguely unimpressed big brother, “You know, it was fine. Mostly just drinking and fighting. We’ve both been to better ones.” While he didn’t particularly like the idea of lying to her, he wasn’t about to shower her with details of the actually rather excellent party she’d so badly wanted to go to and been barred from. 

“If it wasn’t like some weird naked party then why couldn’t I come if it was just like the others?” She knew that Kid wouldn’t have left her behind if it was some boring party. Maybe he didn’t know it was gonna be boring, though? But that still didn’t explain why he didn’t take her. She’d been to all the others, after all.

“There were people there that I don’t trust with you yet, kiddo,” ruffling her hair lightly, Kid leaned down to kiss the top of her head, “I told you that before we left, remember?” Kid was just so devastatingly glad that she was talking to him - part of him had wondered if the silent treatment from before would continue, or the tears. This was the best outcome possible, so far.

“What people? You didn’t tell me that...” Yara sometimes hated how isolated she felt. It was easy enough to ignore when she was around her brother and the rest of the crew - in fact, she didn’t dislike being on the ship when they were together at all. But when they left or something happened that she had to hide away, she did feel trapped. Nothing Kid had done had made her feel mean enough to tell him that, though. She knew he was doing everything he could to keep everyone safe. That didn’t mean it wasn’t lonely sometimes, though.

He had, numerous times, but that wasn’t the point now. The point was just to make her feel better. Maybe that did mean he needed to spill the beans on some truth, “... Law. And his crew.” Though it would be so much easier if she would stop referring to him as Kid’s boyfriend. That was hardly the appropriate term.

Huffing, Yara leaned back to glare up at him. “So it was your boyfriend. And he is so your boyfriend, I saw you kiss him on the dock the day you got interrupted when I was painting your nails, _and then had to fix them._ ” She glowered for a moment more before reaching for her water once more. A part of her was kind of excited for Kid to have a boyfriend. It meant another brother and more people to meet. On the other hand, though, that was someone else she had to split Kid’s time with and that made her dislike this Law guy just a little bit. 

They’d already had that argument too and Kid was not keen on rehashing it. Groaning as he ran a hand through his hair, Kid scrubbed at his face for a moment while he tried to figure out what to say. “You did such a good job though,” is what he settled on, reaching out to grab her glass for her and hold it where she could easily drink, “better than anybody else could have.”

“That’s not what we’re talking about!” It bothered her a little that Kid was so unwilling to talk about this guy. They were obviously spending a lot of time together, so he must like Law. There were very few things Kid kept a secret from her and she couldn’t figure out why this was one of those things. It was frustrating enough that she pushed his hand away when he moved the water, upending the contents over her lap and the blankets gathered there.

“Yara!” yelping in shock more than anything, Kid scrambled to get them both out of bed and her unwrapped from the now wet cloth wrapped around her sick little frame. Working to get her free from those, he held her up to try to see if the water got through to her clothes, his anxiety over her health rising, “I was just trying to help you!”

“I don’t _need_ you to help me, I’m not a baby! You keep acting like I’m still a baby! And now you’re keeping secrets!” Wriggling from his hold, Yara unwrapped the wet blankets and dropped them on the floor. The glass had only been about half full, so only two of the smaller ones really got wet. Taking one of the furs that she used to keep warm, she bundled herself up in it and climbed back up on the bed, leaving a distance between herself and her brother.

Bewildered, confused, and a little frustrated, Kid felt his temper rising and turned his head up to look at the ceiling, forcing himself to count to ten and then back down before he said anything, a normal tactic of his to control his temper when things started to go sideways with Yara. He didn’t turn his face back down until he was sure his voice would hold level, “I’m not a baby either, but sometimes I need help. I want to help you no matter how old you are.”

Pulling the fur up over her shoulders, Yara burrowed down into it to try to hide her face. She could recognize Kid’s actions as something he did when he was getting annoyed and Yara already felt defensive. “Well, I didn’t ask you to. And how come every time I wanna talk about your boyfriend you gotta talk about something else? Why are you keeping secrets?” 

“He’s not my boyfriend, Yara!” this time, the words came out sharper than he meant but the term set Kid off. He didn’t want to claim something that he and Law hadn’t even talked about, much less agreed on, and besides there was still no proof that something so official between them would work. Clenching his fists inside the pockets of his coat, Kid dug his nails into his palms until he found calm again, “He’s not a secret. There’s nothing to tell right now. I can kiss somebody without it meaning anything.”

“Nuh uh! You don’t just kiss people! And anyway, if he wasn’t important you wouldn’t have left me behind to go to a party, and you’d tell me about him when I asked questions instead of always starting to talk about other stuff!” Once she’d latched on to the idea that there was some big secret in all this, it was difficult to let go of. It was also not a good sign that Kid was getting short with her when he was usually good at keeping his cool. It just fueled the fire further.

“What do you want me to say, Yara?” doing a better job of keeping his tone in check, Kid forced himself to sit beside her again, knowing that closeness always helped cooler heads prevail. “I like being around him, okay? And I think maybe he could be an ally for us someday, I don’t know yet. There’s a lot I don’t know about him and why he’s doing what he is and until I know that, I can’t trust him to meet you.”

“I don’t know, anything? You get so weird whenever I talk about him, like you don’t want me to know something.” Yara curled up briefly, covering her face with the fur to try and clear her throat quickly before it turned into a coughing fit. She didn’t want Kid to think she was sicker than she was, but the scratchy feeling in her throat only got worse the longer she talked without any water.

Breathing out, Kid blew air out through pursed lips to continue quelling his rising frustration, “I… just told you the things I had to tell.” Watching her body tremble under the fur, Kid sighed as his brotherly instincts kicked in again, “You are sick…” Reaching for another dry blanket he wrapped that one around her shoulders, tucking the ends in gently as he did his best to relent to her demands, “It’s easier if you ask questions, you know.”

Yara couldn’t think of any questions she hadn’t already asked, and really it wasn’t the main point of her tantrum. She just couldn’t think of how to express how much she hated being left behind and how lonely it could be. The whole crew was family but having no one else around her own age and no ability to communicate with the outside world had gotten harder the older she got. “Well if he’s not important then don’t leave me here by myself again.”

Clearly she was getting too old for his deflections, had been for a few years. Careful about it, a little afraid she would yank away from him again, Kid reached out to see if Yara would let him pull her back into his lap. “He… is important. But not important or trustworthy enough to meet you yet. Because nobody’s more important than you.”

Though Yara tensed, she didn’t actively resist. Had she not been sick she’d have put up more of a fight, but at her core she was someone who found calm when she was held, so being close to her brother was more appealing than her anger at the moment. “Why is he important? Just ‘cause he’s gonna be an ally?”

Yara letting him hold her again helped put Kid at ease too, some of the tension in his body starting to ease out, “No, that’s not all.” The other reasons were so much harder to put into words, but he knew he had to try for her, “He’s… relaxing to be around. I feel… more like me, like… normal, I guess.” _Wow…_ scolding himself internally, Kid grimaced over top of Yara’s little mop of auburn hair, _that was the best you could do, really?_

Yara scrunched her nose as she considered her brother’s words. She supposed technically that made sense but she decided she didn’t like it. Kid having people like that other than the crew meant he’d leave more often and she didn’t like that thought. It wasn’t that she didn’t want him to be happy; she did, and if this Law guy was able to do that then he couldn’t be all bad. But sharing something so important wouldn’t come easy. “...but you still don’t know if he’s good or bad?”

“Not for sure, not yet,” reverting back to the comforting standard of stroking her hair, Kid carefully undid her braid and then started carding his fingers through it gently, “I don’t know what he’s after yet, what his goal is, and I can’t know if he’s safe until I do.” Of course he was bad. By the general definition, they were all bad by default, being pirates and everything. But Kid had never wanted Yara to think she was bad just by association, so that was a tidbit of information he never shared with her.

“Well, maybe you should ask. I wanna meet him too.” Yara’s impatience was both due to her annoyance at being left behind and a desire to be included in the future. Besides, Law was sure to be interesting if Kid was so distracted by him. She’d always liked when Kid played with her hair so she found this soothing, which was welcome considering how crappy she felt. This time she didn’t pull away, instead relaxing into his hold and closing her eyes. “What’re we gonna do for _my_ party?”

Relaxing slightly as she finally started to take to his affection, Kid continued the gentle movement as he answered her, “You tell me, kiddo, it’s your party.” She loved being a part of event planning and he knew she and Killer had been working on the details for a few days, anyway. Now here she was being a little trickster like she knew nothing at all.

“I want you to tell me about it,” she insisted, pouting and squirming into a more comfortable position. Her tone made it clear she expected to get her way, still on edge in spite of how docile she was currently acting. It was just that it felt really good having her hair played with, it didn’t mean that Kid had made things up to her yet.

“Okay, okay,” conceding with a little sigh, Kid started absently braiding her hair into two seperate plaits and then undoing them just to start all over again, “We’re gonna have a bonfire down at the beach, big and bright, like you.” As he started listing out the festivities he began to feel a little exhausted at the thought of another seaside party, but it would all be worth it to make her happy, “And there’s going to be all the dessert you could want to eat, plus games and a midnight swim and you and Jinx and Hex playing pranks all night long, yeah?”

“Yeah.” She agreed readily enough at first, then bit her lip. “Though maybe not a swim.” Yara didn’t want to admit it and potentially get in trouble, but that was how she wound up not feeling well in the first place. Kid didn’t seem to know that yet, though, so she kept it to herself, content to focus on the evening they would all enjoy together.

“Crap, right,” grimacing at his own stupidity, Kid shook his head and admonished himself yet again for being dumb, “I’m so sorry you got sick, Yar... “ The remorse in his voice was genuine, soft sadness threaded through the words, “Especially on the day of your party. I know how much you’ve been looking forward to it. I promise it’ll still be fun, even if you can’t swim.”

The way Kid spoke was like he was the one who got her sick. The spiteful side of her insisted that it was his fault, since she never would have tried to swim to the mainland after him if he hadn’t left her behind in the first place. But there was still guilt in his tone that made her feel guilty in turn and she just burrowed down into the furs further, trying to physically push the feeling away, “...I’m not that sick. Just a tickle in my throat.”

Kid’s sigh suggested he didn’t quite believe it, but more than that, that the fact she was sick at all still really bothered him, “You’re shivering and coughing, Yara. I… should have left more blankets, or made sure you had warmer clothes, or…” At this point Kid was grasping for straws because in reality there was no reason to think that Yara would have needed any more than she already had. But Kid was responsible for her, so of course he did something wrong to let her fall ill like this.

Squirming, Yara felt that gnawing, uncomfortable feeling of guilt as it settled in the pit of her stomach. Kid took her health and safety so seriously he often blamed himself for things he had no control over. The tips of her ears turned red where they peeked out above the furs, a common response when she was feeling guilty or trying to hide something. She was still angry, but that feeling was on equal footing alongside the urge to reassure Kid that it wasn’t his fault. In the end, she said nothing, going out of her way to hide her face.

Not really focused on watching his little sister but rather trying to soothe her and comfort her in her sickness, Kid just continued to stroke her hair and be patient as she tried to get comfortable. “I’ll make it the best party ever, okay? I’ll make it up to you,” so earnest as he spoke that it hurt, Kid let his head rest against the wall behind him and worked through all the considerations he had to ensure the night went off without a hitch.

“It’s not your fault,” she groused eventually, the buildup of guilt forcing the words out. There was already such a mix of emotions she was feeling, Yara didn’t want Kid being mad at her to add to it. He didn’t usually get too angry, but when he was worried he could be a little hard to control. “I… went for a swim last night.” 

Blinking owlishly at that, Kid tilted his head down to regard the top of her head, “Huh?” It wasn’t that he hadn’t heard her, it just seemed to come so out of left field. While a swim in general wouldn’t upset him, as long as she had crew members who could swim with her, the night before had been cold enough that the water couldn’t have been pleasant for anyone, “... Why?”

Yara’s initial response was just to squirm. Having to explain her reasoning for what she did brought up the feelings attached to it, which caused a resurgence of annoyance. But the guilty feelings remained too and finally she decided to just bury her head fully in the furs, not caring if her words were muffled into undecipherable nonsense. “I wanted to swim to the beach you were on so I could go to the party too.”

… It took him a second to parse out her words through the blanket she’d chosen to hide in, but once he did the only reaction he could muster was to sigh, resigned but not disbelieving as he shook his head, “Oh, Yara…” His reaction was perhaps more muted than she had expected, but to be honest her admission didn’t surprise him. He knew how badly she wanted to go and he also kind of remembered how hard it was to be nine. 

In spite of Kid’s mild response, Yara was still tense and bristling as though waiting for the other shoe to drop. “Don’t be mad! You left me behind and it’s your fault ‘cause I coulda gone!” She insisted, lifting her head a little now that she wasn’t so concerned about being difficult to hear. 

Taking a deep breath, Kid ran a hand over his face and worked to gather himself before responding. “Yara, you have t’take responsibility for the stuff you do. I didn’t throw you in the water, you got in yourself,” though he was being firm, his tone wasn’t really negative. Responsibility was a concept he fought with for a long time, a thing that he still struggled with even now from time to time, but it was a life lesson he had come to recognize. He supposed it was on him to teach her that too.

“But I wouldn’t have if you woulda taken me with you!” Her voice was firm and insistent, furs falling down from around her ears to rest over her shoulders, laying her reddened face bare as she glared up at her brother and a pout formed on her lips. Everything Yara had learned had been from Kid, including his stubbornness and unwillingness to relent if she felt slighted. 

Reminding himself that staying calm and patient with her when she got like this was his best method of reaching her, Kid took a slow, steady breath, “We can’t always get what we want, Yara. I don’t, Killer doesn’t, and you can’t either. I didn’t take you with us because I thought it was too dangerous for you.” While her angry, red little face certainly pulled on his heartstrings, he’d gotten better at playing the “parent” in recent years. 

“But you can at least _try_ to get what you want! I can only do what you let me do! Pirates don’t take orders from nobody!” Yara parrotted back, in her own awkward way, a phrase she often heard the crew say; a common sentiment, given that pirates lived their lives outside the law and using their own codes of honor - or lack thereof. While thelack of control over her own life was a common feeling amongst children who wished to be older than they were, Yara’s true issue was more her general loneliness and increasing cabin fever. She would be the first to admit she wasn’t confined to her room aboard the ship, but she was well hidden and well guarded and it was tiring. 

“This crew protects its own,” trying to be firm without making things worse, Kid could only hope his tone was coming off correctly, “and we work together to get what we need. Sometimes that means doing things we don’t want to do.” Starting to chew on the edge of his tongue as he ran through what else he could say, Kid continued to remind himself to stay calm, “And that’s gotta be true for all of us. That means you, too.”

“But I never get to do what I wanna do, always what you tell me I can do and I don’t always wanna hide in my room forever!” Part of her knew she was being dramatic but Yara didn’t have the ability to reel herself in. She didn’t know of a better way to voice her frustrations. It was hard to say for sure if it even would have come up if not for her disappointment over not being able to attend the party the previous night.

“Yara, you come out of your room all the time! We always go into port, or walk on the beach, or a bunch of other stuff,” while part of Kid could rationalize that she was young and frustrated and lonely, another part of him felt her words as a very literal blow, “I do everything to try to make you happy, but sometimes keeping you safe is more important!”

Pushing herself off Kid’s lap, Yara threw herself down onto her mattress and covered herself up again. “Go away, you make me mad! You’re not even listening!” The point wasn’t that she was allowed to come out of her room; it was that it seemed like whenever someone even looked at their ship, she was made to hide away. She wanted to be more involved and had the youthful impatience to grow up and be more independent without fully understanding the situation she found herself in.

“Yes I am!” at the end of the day, even with twelve years between them, Kid and Yara were still siblings and that meant that sometimes, they fought. Though he’d really tried to stop this time from becoming one, Kid rapidly felt his grasp on calm patience slipping away, “What if I let you come last night, Law found out you existed, and then it turns out his goal was to get rid of all the other members of the Worst Generation so he could have an easier time finding One Piece? So then rather than fight me, he grabs you!? You know I’d fucking die to protect you, Yara? If that’s what it took, I’d let him gut me if it meant he’d give you back to Killer! That’s the kind of shit I’m trying to avoid, okay?”

Kid’s words only made the whirlwind of emotions whip around inside her even faster and she was too caught up in the thick of it to be able to process each one as it passed by. Yara kicked out with one leg, shoving against the side of her brother’s hip. “I said go away! You’re making me mad and now my throat hurts even more!”

At this point, Kid knew his best option was to do exactly that. If he stayed there was likely to be more yelling and with more yelling, even more tears and hurt hearts along the way. “Fine,” standing abruptly, Kid turned on his heel and marched out the entrance to her little nook, shoving his hands in his pockets as he tried - and failed - to stop them from shaking. 

“That went well,” Killer knew that Yara was likely to give Kid a hard time. The girl was every bit as fiery and strong-willed as his captain and was at an age where she was starting to crave independence and freedom but didn’t yet know how to express it properly. It always meant that with Kid’s lack of patience sometimes the two got under each other’s skin.

“No it fucking didn’t,” Kid’s mood had went from sky high, to nervous and worried, to annoyed and tense all in the span of an hour and he was testy from it. Making his way out of the cave, the redhead retraced his steps to the beach, feeling suffocated by the canopy of trees. Alone and finally exposed to the open sky, Kid took to stalking up and down the shoreline in a mindless loop, too much energy flowing through him to hold still.

It had been Killer’s intention to help stabilize Kid’s mood but he knew the redhead well enough to know that he needed space right now. Talking too much would just get him even more caught up in his own head and wouldn’t do anything but sour him further. He’d caught enough to hear that Yara’s throat hurt so instead of following his captain he got another glass of water and entered the nook that served as Yara’s room. “Hey. Got you some water.” 

The response was sullen as ever, but it lacked the edge she’d taken with Kid, “I don’t want it.” Burrowed in her blankets, Yara had turned her back on the door and was determined to ignore everyone that came through it. They all wound up taking her brother’s side anyway, Killer most of all, so what good was talking to him going to be, anyway.

“C’mon, kiddo. Don’t make yourself hurt even more just because you wanna be stubborn. We don’t have to talk if you don’t want to.” Killer sat on the edge of the bed, letting the glass of water rest within easy reach on her nightstand. When Yara felt like she wasn’t being heard, she was never able to bottle up her feelings for long. All he had to do was sit quietly until she couldn’t hold back anymore. 

The petulant - and violent - way her hand shot out to knock the glass off the nightstand was so very reminiscent of her older sibling. Yara had no plans on talking to Killer at all. No. He always sided with Kid. They always kept her cooped up. This was his fault. Kid’s fault. Their fault. He shouldn’t get to talk to her. The thought flying a mile a minute through her head, Yara’s mind then served up another option - yell at him, too, because it’s his fault. Almost immediately, the words started flying, “No, you’re just like him, you think he’s right too, go away!”

“That’s impressive,” Killer began, his voice just as level as it had been when he first entered. He paused long enough to rescue the upturned cup from the floor and set it back on the nightstand. “I didn’t know you were a mind reader, Yara. But you’ve gotta practice more, because you’ve got it wrong. I don’t think Kid’s right,” it was partially true, anyway; in the grand scheme of things it was the right thing to leave Yara behind, but Killer was still of a mind that Trafalgar wasn’t to be trusted. His crew were good people and they had gotten along well for the evening, but there was something black in that captain’s soul that he hadn’t been able to place yet.

Scrubbing at her face through the blankets, Yara turned to glare at Killer over her shoulder, only her eyes visible through the little slit she’d left herself to see, “Don’t lie! I know when you guys lie!” Hands curled into fists, Yara felt like she was being teased right now and she was not in the mood to deal with it.

“Do I lie to you, Yara?” One of the things that Killer refused to do was lie to spare anyone’s feelings. If he felt something needed to be said, he had no problem being blunt. He’d gotten to be good at softening his phrasing for Yara but nonetheless he had always told her the truth no matter her age.

Frowning up at him very sternly, Yara pursed her lips like she wanted to say yes but knew that she couldn’t in truth. That just managed to frustrated her more and she expressed that in a loud, forceful huff before turning her back on him only to tug the blankets around her shoulders tighter. It felt like they were ganging up on her today.

Unlike the two Eustass siblings, Killer had no problem just sitting in silence. He adjusted his position on the bed, resting his back against the stone wall that served as Yara’s headboard with his legs stretched out in front if him. He didn’t try to touch her and he didn’t speak. If she was feeling cagey because she didn’t think she had control over the situation, he could give that much to her at least.

Yelling at them to leave didn’t seem to work, so this time Yara got it in her head that she would just ignore Killer until he went away too. Stubborn as she was, she managed to sit still for about ten minutes before she got restless and fidgety again, though in response to that she slipped off the bed and went to play with one of the toys loving tucked at the foot of her bed. That occupied at least another fifteen minutes of her time but the frustrating part was that it never fully diverted her attention from Killer’s presence.

At the end of the day, Killer knew he was more patient than Yara. And he knew that she would eventually realize he was here to listen to her. He didn’t move or speak, letting her do whatever she felt was necessary. It was painfully obvious how distracted she was by him, and part of him wanted to tell her she could open up to him, that he wasn’t here to tell her what to do, but it felt like he’d being doing exactly that if he tried. So he simply watched her and waited.

It was probably another twenty minutes later, but finally Yara caved, turning to face Killer with a look that showed how clearly she was halfway between tears and yelling. “It’s not fair…” though there was force in the words she hadn’t escalated yet, tentative as though he might actually be willing to do something for her, though she wasn’t quite sure yet. 

Lifting up one arm in an invitation to join him, Killer simply nodded once. “I know.” In the grand scheme of things, it really wasn’t. Nothing about the situation Kid and Yara were in was fair. But Kid was doing his best with the hand he’d been dealt and Killer could see how his overprotectiveness could be stifling to a girl like Yara. She was endlessly curious and fearless and it would only get worse as she got older. They would both have to learn how to strike the balance between keeping her safe and keeping her happy. Now was as good a time as any to begin.

Though her mouth twisted down at first, after a moment’s hesitation Yara finally decided to allow herself to be comforted and snuck up the bed to press into Killer’s side, hiding her face against his shirt as she mumbled, “Take your helmet off…” Though she thought he was very handsome and strong looking with it on, Yara always preferred Killer without the face covering - it made him feel more human to her, more real.

With a little sigh, Killer reached up and pulled off the metal helmet framing his face. Stretching to the side, he let it rest on the nightstand next to her water, careful not to knock the cup over. He didn’t know why she preferred him with it off; he’d been worried at first that the mess of his face would upset her when she was young, but even as a toddler when they’d first left, she’d never shied away from him. 

Peeking up at him to ensure compliance, Yara’s body fully melded into his side at seeing he’d done what she asked. She felt closer to him when she could see his face, like everything was more honest. “... Good…” though it still sounded a touch petulant, the undercurrent of need in her voice was evident. Assured that her request was completed, Yara tucked her face back against his side and fell quiet.

Killer shifted to rest his open palm against her back. She felt warm beneath the thin cotton of the nightdress she was wearing and a frown pulled at his lips. It was more than could be attributed to just being bedwarm, and he worried that this was becoming a more serious illness than any of them initially thought. “You want some water?”

After a moment, this time she nodded; her throat had been dry and scratchy for some time now but she’d been too stubborn to accept his help before now. Everything seemed to take an extra couple of seconds to process, like his words had to filter through more space than usual for her to hear and make sense of. Yara felt a little weak as lethargy start to set in - maybe she could just stay here for a couple minutes… that would make things better, right?

With a sharp whistle, Killer caught the attention of someone nearby who could bring another glass of water, since there wasn’t much remaining in the one he’d initially brought for her. In the few minutes that it took, he felt the silence between them change. The tension in the air melted away with the tension in Yara’s back, and as he shifted to look at her Killer could see she was drifting off. Rather than trying to keep her awake, he simply rubbed her back in slow circles, encouraging sleep to take hold.

A few minutes after that, Killer’s wishes came true as Yara’s eyes finally stopped flitting behind their lids as she fell into a gentle slumber curled up against him. She hadn’t slept well the night before, either, so that compounded with having a cold - on top of having most of her energy expended in anger at her brother - meant that when she drifted off, easily rousing her wasn’t likely.

Being that the root of the problem was that she’d felt abandoned, Killer knew that since she’d fallen asleep with him there if she woke up with him gone it would undo any goodwill he’d managed to earn. So he stayed as she slept, hoping that Kid would work out his own shit and have the good sense to come back.

It was two and a half hours later when Yara woke up and if Kid had returned, he hadn’t made it known to Killer. But as her eyes blinked open wide and owlishly, Yara initially tensed until she realized the blonde was still with her and she could ease back into a state of semi-calm. Swallowing was hard and it made her throat ache all the worse and for all that she’d been angry now she was just upset. As she looked up at Killer her eyes were swimming with tears - she didn’t feel good, she was hungry but she didn’t want to eat, and Kid had yelled at her and today… today sucked so far.

“I have water,” Killer said gently, holding the cup close enough to her that she could reach the straw with very little effort. He was a little annoyed that Kid hadn’t returned but his emotions flared hot so if he’d really let Yara get that far under his skin he supposed it was for the best. There was an obvious change in her demeanor though and the tears in her eyes made him frown. “Bad dream, Yara?” 

At the question Yara shook her head, but she did reach for and drink from the glass of water, though it was only for a moment. Trying to drink too much all at once hurt too. She was still tired and now this gnawing worry that she wouldn’t get her party tonight - or that it wouldn’t be fun - begun to settle into the pit of her stomach. And that was the last straw. Without warning the tears spilled over as a little rattling sob escaped her before she ducked her face again, pressing a blanket against her eyes as she started to cry.

Immediately discarding the water, Killer turned and gathered her into his lap. He didn’t question her emotions and instead just let her feel them, rubbing her back and smoothing her hair away from her face. Anything he might say to soothe her would be lost right now, so he remained quiet until she had gotten everything out.

It took a few minutes, but eventually the tears began to subside into soft, hiccuping little gasps for air. Yara felt embarrassed but she didn’t have it in her to push him away so she could get it all out in private. Curling her hands into the fabric of his shirt, Yara just gave in and held onto Killer until she felt like she had herself under control again, though at that point she only did her best to tuck herself into a small ball and stay hidden. 

“I had an idea for your party, Yara,” Killer began, still idly rubbing her back. She wouldn’t hear of canceling it or making alterations for her own sake, but maybe he could convince her of an alternative that was just an enjoyable. “It’s cold out today. And you know how Kid’s a big baby in the cold. But the big cave has enough room for a bonfire and I bet the music would sound really cool when it echoes.” He didn’t want to take her own celebration from her, but having it where she would stay warm and comfortable would make it easier for everyone.

When her voice came through this time, it was quiet but morose, “But I like the beach…” Though the nap had done her some good, Yara still wasn’t feeling completely like herself and it felt like her nose had only gotten stuffier, “I wanna be by the water…” 

“Okay.” If he was going to try to convince her otherwise, it wouldn’t happen all at once. “We can be by the water. We’ll bring a cart full of furs in case it gets too cold.” If it was made out to be a hassle then maybe she would concede but Killer wasn’t going to push his luck. “Think you can manage to eat? I’m pretty hungry.”

So was she, but at the same time, the very thought of eating made her want to throw up. Shaking her head a little, Yara burrowed even further into Killer’s chest like she could just make a little nook for herself if she tried hard enough. When her voice came again it was in a whisper so quiet it sounded like defeat, “... maybe we should do it tomorrow…”

“We can do it whenever you want to, Yara.” If she was going to make that decision all on her own, Killer certainly wasn’t going to discourage it or try to make it for her. He simply accepted it and left it up to her. He didn’t see much need to keep her in bed if she was sick; as long as she was warm and rested why did it matter if she was here or on the beach? But if she wasn’t feeling up to it, he’d rather she save her strength to enjoy it. 

She really hated the idea of moving it back, but she hated the idea of not having fun even more, so it was with despondent resignation that she responded “... Tomorrow.” Feeling the way she was, she’d just be more miserable if she saw her party happening around her and didn’t have it in her to enjoy it.

“You got it, kiddo. Would you feel up to a sleepover tonight?” Killer wanted to express that, even if she didn’t feel up to a full-fledged party tonight, they could still do something for her. It was important to remind her that they were still trying to make her happy, even when it seemed like all that they’d done today was fight.

She only had to think about that for a second before she nodded, her grip on Killer tightening a little. She felt comforted by his presence and she didn’t want him to go anywhere, but she was also realizing that something - someone - was missing, “... Where’s Kid?” Her anger had been replaced with sadness and an almost overwhelming sense of loneliness and she just wanted her family around her now.

“I don’t know, Yara. I’ve been in here with you the whole time. You want me to go find him?” This was why he was annoyed the redhead hadn’t returned. Once Yara’s anger had blown over, she always inevitably wanted to be with her brother. “You can ride on my shoulders if you wanna come too.”

Again, the answer came within a split second, “Okay.” While the idea of being up and running around on her own wasn’t appealing right now, Yara thought she could handle being carried around. Guilt was starting to set in a little too - she had been the one to force him out, “... I told him to leave.”

“It’s okay, Yara. It didn’t mean you wanted him to leave forever. He knows that.” Reassurances aside, Killer pulled Yara up onto his shoulders then handed one of the smaller blankets to her so she could drape it over her shoulders while they walked. “Ready to head out?”

Nodding as though it didn’t occur to her that Killer couldn’t see her, Yara settled in and waited for him to take them wherever they were going. Holding the blanket tight around her shoulders made her feel a little better, like she was getting a tight hug, and she hoped it would only be temporary until it was her brother’s arms around her instead. 

Killer walked with purpose out to the large interior cavern they’d used as a living area. It took only a moment to survey the area to determine Kid wasn’t there. He knew his captain well enough to know he wouldn’t have sulked back to his room so he didn’t bother checking, instead heading outside and winding his way through their traps down to the beach. 

There wasn’t much to say to Yara; she seemed to be calmer now and ready to make up with Kid, and besides he didn’t want to hurt her throat further by having her talk. It was a companionable silence until they reached the beach where the outline of Kid could be seen through the trees as they thinned.

Though his anger had simmered some time ago, his restless energy hadn’t, and so the late afternoon sun found Kid toiling shirtless under its rays, busy at the moment digging out a fire pit big enough to hold a bonfire twice as big as any they’d held on that beach before. His exertion was evident in the strain of his muscles and the sheen of sweat on his back as he heaved yet another scoop of dirt out of his way, too focused on his work for now to hear them approach. 

As soon as she’d set sight on her brother, Yara immediately became restless. She’d been so still until then that Killer was half convinced she’d fallen back asleep. He crouched at the same time that he plucked her from his shoulders, setting her down so that she could go meet up with Kid on her own.

Tossing the blanket behind her, Yara ran halfway to Kid then stopped to consider her next steps. She didn’t want to get in the way of the dirt being flung about and part of her was sad that he hadn’t come back - even though she was the one who told him to leave in the first place. Indecision led to stillness as she scuffed her foot bashfully in the sand. “...hi…”

At hearing her unmistakable little voice, Kid stilled briefly before rising to his full height and taking in a breath. That done he turned slowly, looking down at her pale face and messy braids. “... Hey,” as the word came he knelt down, opening his arms just slightly in invitation, as though he was unsure she’d take it.

Knowing her part in how they’d parted had made her dubious about how he’d react to seeing her again but as soon as he knelt down she all but threw herself forward, clinging to his waist and hiccupping as tears tracked down her face unbidden. “I’m sorry, don’t be mad anymore, okay!?”

Sighing softly, Kid wrapped his arms around her and rose carefully, one hand coming up to stroke her hair as the other supported her weight, “I’m not, Yara. It’s okay.” Holding her tight against his chest, Kid continued to soothe her with soft words and gentle hands as he began to pace again, though this time it was in a slow, deliberate circle around the outside of the fire pit - she’d always calmed better with motion, that hadn’t changed since she was six months old.

His reassurance did little to slow her tears, overcome as she was with the tumultuous emotions that bubbled up that she only had a vague understanding of. Yara just pressed her face against Kid’s shoulder and cried until she couldn’t anymore, stuttering breaths shaking her frame. She hated when they fought. All she wanted was to get to have fun with her family and she hated having been left out but now this was a second day that felt like a waste and she knew that was partially her fault. 

Kid did nothing to rush or quiet her, instead just continuing his slow, steady trek around the circle as he stroked her hair. Occasionally he’d press a soft kiss to the side of her head or drop his hand down to rub her back, but other than that he waited for her to be ready to move on. He hated to see her in tears, it always made him feel like he was drowning, but trying to force her to stop before she was ready always backfired. 

Eventually her chest began to burn and her throat felt rubbed raw and Yara took several gulping breaths to calm herself. She always felt miserable after crying like this, as she always insisted she was just as tough as her brother. Yara found it impossible to feel very strong at all after doing this twice in one day. No wonder Kid felt like he had to protect her all the time… Wiping at her eyes in annoyance with herself, she let her forehead rest against Kid’s shoulder as she worked to catch her breath.

Knowing better than anyone how to help her perk up after a session like this, Kid focused the conversation on something completely different as he allowed her time to gather herself, “This is for your party. It’ll be the biggest fire we’ve ever had.” He’d worn the perimeter down another inch or so just with the combined weight of their bodies and his constant pacing, so its diameter was exceedingly easy to see.

Instead of cheering her up, his words only made her feel that much more miserable. She’d already told Killer they’d have the party tomorrow and Yara still knew it was for the best, but seeing with her own eyes what she could have now just made her long for it that much more. “...thanks…” She tried to inject some happiness in her tone but it just wouldn’t come. Her throat was too ragged.

“Yeah... “ the tone in her voice crushed him and Kid could only let his own emotion out in a tight, controlled sigh, “you’re still not feeling good, kiddo.” Finally turning back toward the forest, Kid caught sight of Killer and started to approach him, shoulders slumping as they did - he was tired. “How can I help you feel better, huh?” he wanted to provide suggestions, but he had the feeling things like going back to the cave, soup, and another nap wouldn’t go over well with her.

“We’re still gonna have the party!” Yara insisted, looking up at Kid with red, watery eyes. She wanted him to know that all his hard work wasn’t in vain. “Just… tomorrow… the tide isn’t gonna mess it up, right?” She didn’t think she could stand the guilt if everything Kid had worked on was going to get washed away in the night.

It most assuredly was, but Kid did not need Yara to know that. “Of course not,” the response was immediate and convincing, Kid’s voice soothing and sweet. He was surprised to hear her say that she was pushing the party back a day, but with the state she was in he knew it was the right choice. Yet, he couldn’t help but wonder what Killer had bribed her with to make it so.

Shifting to look over his shoulder dubiously, Yara frowned hard at the tongues of the waves as they rolled in up the beach, leaving a wet stripe behind them as they receded. It seemed impossible the water wouldn’t rise high enough to swallow the pit whole. Kid was always saying things to try to spare her feelings… “You’re all sweaty,” she complained, changing the subject to something less painful.

This time when he said the word, it was with a bit of humor behind it, referencing the fact that Yara’s statement was obvious, “Well, yeah.” Though he didn’t move her yet, Kid did meet her eyes as he asked his next question, careful in how he handled her still, “Want down?” He wasn’t in a rush to release her, but he knew she could be finicky about certain things.

“No!” Her complaint had mostly been to change the subject rather than out of a desire to be away from Kid. Yara knew how her face must look; she was just as gross as her brother was. She tightened her grip on him just in case he tried to put her down anyway. 

A soft, warm chuckle escaped him as he kept her close, “Okay, kiddo. You’re staying right here.” Making it to Killer, Kid paused next to his second and shot him a look that was somewhere between defensive and grateful, as though he was trying to deflect a scolding either by tongue or by pointed gaze, “Walk back with us.”

“What, you’re not gonna carry me too?” Killer asked flatly, already turning to fall into step beside Kid. He had his own perspective in the situation but it wasn’t important right now; it wasn’t anything Kid hadn’t already heard, either. But since his stubborn captain was so intent on acting against his better judgement Killer was damn well going to point out some time in the near future that if he didn’t already know Trafalgar’s motives it was past time to find out.

Walking back in a silence that was delicate but not exactly tense, Kid kept Yara wrapped up and held close to his chest. He couldn’t still the anxious knot between his ribs that tensed even harder every time she coughed or shivered in his arms - he needed to do everything in his power to make her better. Arriving back to their base he looked down at her hair, pressing yet another soft kiss to the part of her hair before speaking, “Let’s get you some soup.”

Though the idea of eating much of anything still made her stomach turn, soup didn’t really sound all that bad. It would at least help her throat, and beneath the layers of guilt, abating anger, and general sickness she _was_ hungry. “Okay. You’re gonna eat dinner with me too, right?” Yara looked up at Kid hopefully.

Nodding in agreement, Kid headed into the cave and turned toward the makeshift kitchen they’d set up previously, “Yeah.” It was quick work from there to procure a meal for all of them, the bulk of which Killer carried as they made their way toward one of the tables scattered about. Taking a seat, Kid gently rearranged Yara in his lap so she could eat comfortably before handing her a spoon in encouragement, “Go on, kiddo.”

Although Yara knew that things between her and Kid were stable again, she still felt like everything was a little unfinished. She wouldn’t have batted an eye to moving forward a few years ago, but the memory of how lonely and guilty she’d felt still took up space in her ribcage and she could only imagine that Kid felt the same. “...Kid…? I’m sorry I yelled.”

Somehow, her comment released tension Kid hadn’t even known he was holding and his literally felt his body relax further into the bench seat as he wrapped an arm around her waist. “I’m sorry you felt lonely and left behind, Yara,” though he’d still argue that what he’d done was necessary, it didn’t mean he failed to recognize the very real impact it had on her or that he hated the way it made her feel.

At the end of the day, what else could she have asked for? She still didn’t know how to articulate the root of why it bothered her, why it was more than just a night away. But for now, they’d made up. She was content to eat dinner with her brother and Killer and hopefully sleep off the worst of whatever this cold was. “...you promise it’ll be a bigger bonfire?”

His lips bending into a relieved, slightly wobbly smile at that question, Kid nodded, “Bigger than you’ve ever seen.” He spent the next few minutes encouraging and helping her to eat, sometimes steadying the spoon as she lifted it to her mouth or wiping her face when he realized a little broth had dribbled down her chin. It was quiet, domestic work but he would never stop doing it when necessary.

Yara only made it about another hour and a half before Kid and Killer tucked her back into her bed, completely dead to the world as exhaustion hit her hard. It had taken some convincing to even get Kid to step out for a moment, but after they’d left the room, Killer gave his captain a pointed look. “Mind if we have a word in private?” He didn’t bother waiting for a response, already moving to lead the way. 

Grimacing quite pointedly at his second’s back, Kid almost considered protesting that he needed to be with his sister before sighing and internally admitting that it would just be quicker to let Killer lecture him and get on with things from there rather than argue and then get lectured anyway. Sullenly following along behind, Kid kept his eyes downcast even as they entered his own room, leaning back against the wall and crossing his arms as though being casual about it would do him any good.

“Obviously, you have no intention of listening to me about staying away from Trafalgar. So, what are your plans with him?” Killer had never been one to beat around the bush and he wasn’t about to start now. He’d overheard Kid tell Yara he wasn’t sure what the other captain’s motives were and until he did that Law was unsafe. But the fact of the matter was, the closer Trafalgar got to Kid, the closer he got to Yara and neither Killer nor Kid could accept the unknown from the other captain any longer. 

“Tch,” the sound came sharp and dismissive as Kid looked away from Killer, tension limning his body again. While he’d recognized that he’d grown some sort of attachment to the other man a while ago, admitting it aloud was a whole different story. “We’re… friends,” while it wasn’t a lie, the words rang a little hollow. They were more than friends, by a long shot at this point.

“Yeah, I’m not asking what you are. I’m asking what your plans are. If you don’t know what his motives are now, then when? That should have been the first question you asked,” neither of them liked being told what to do, but right now Killer wanted to bring to light the extent of the rose-tinted glasses Kid had for Trafalgar.

“Right, because he woulda been so fucking eager to answer,” Kid countered sharply, his head coming up to glare at Killer. He could already feel his hackles rising because Killer was being rather hypocritical - the two of them didn’t share the true details of their goals with anyone, so where did Killer get off acting like getting Law to reveal his truths would be a walk in the park?

“So’re you just gonna keep going without talking about it? That’s not an excuse. We still don’t know anything about the guy. And the last thing I want is you getting attached only to find out he’s after the One Piece too. Then what?” Killer was good at speaking dispassionately to keep from fanning the flames of Kid’s anger, but he was unable to keep it that way when he brought up his captain potentially getting hurt. It was a real concern of his, and he didn’t have a problem letting him know.

“He’s not after One Piece,” Kid rejoined immediately, though he knew he was deflecting from the actual issue at hand. Not that Killer would let him get away with it, so he tried to skirt around the issue with some truth and a hint of a guilt trip, “You think I’m a fucking idiot? I know more about him than you think.”

“Look. You told Yara you don’t know enough about him to trust him around her. That ought to be your plan, don’t you think? Unless you don’t see this being something long term, which I doubt given the effort that went in to last night,” not to mention what had happened that morning, Killer though, but he wasn’t about to cross over that particular line.

Grinding his teeth, Kid felt his blood pressure start to rise for the second time that day and really wished his family would stop digging at his tender spots so aggressively. “It is my _plan_ , Killer,” he hissed out, having to really work at controlling himself, “turns out shit like that doesn’t just happen overnight.”

“If you say so.” Following up his words with a little shrug, Killer dropped the subject. He knew all he could do was remind Kid to stay on track. He got remarkably distracted when it came to Trafalgar. Scrubbing his hands over his face, Killer realized he’d left his helmet in Yara’s room. “C’mon. I promised Yara a sleepover.” Her bed was only big enough to hold her and one of them, so Killer scooped up the pile of extra bedding he intended to sleep on for the night off of a low bench that they rested on.

Wordlessly turning his back on his best friend, Kid stalked out of the room before he could make the stupid decision to respond and escalate the situation. Making his way back to Yara’s room he entered quietly, softening as he took in her small form all bundled up in the middle of her bed. She had grown so much but she was still so little. She still needed him to be her big brother, her protector, her… parent, as much as the word had negative connotations to him. Just the reminder of the immense weight of that responsibility made him feel so entirely inadequate. Yet he sat next to her anyway, vowing as always to do his best regardless. 

Following along behind Kid, Killer set up a little nest for himself at the base of Yara’s bed so she’d know he was there as soon as she woke up. He had to admit, he was tired from the festivities the night before; the cottony feeling of too much alcohol clung to the back of his throat still. In spite of Kid’s heated response, he knew the redhead would be back to normal in the morning. His anger burned brightly, but never for long. This is how their family had worked for years - it was as reliable as the tides.

Working quietly to get everything prepared for when Yara felt better, Kid handled what he could from her room. Though he hated to ask others to do his work, he knew he couldn’t leave Yara again for the length of time it would have taken to redig the fire pit, but Hex and Wrench had gone off to do it with goodwill. 

When the new night of Yara’s party came warm, the breeze across the sea nothing more than a gentle caress, luck was on their side and she’d had enough time to revert back to her normal, energetic self. And so the Kid Pirates celebrated that night just as they had two nights before, albeit with the exception of a little less alcohol and a very happy, very loved little girl at the center of it all.

\---

Back on the main island, the matter of being short thirteen hearts was starting to grate on Law’s nerves. One hundred was such a nice, round, robust number. Something that couldn’t be ignored. Eighty seven felt unfinished, but it was what he had and he was getting impatient. A nasty voice, once so familiar to him, reminded him that he knew the location of not thirteen, but twenty pirates just across the bay. He could kill two birds with one stone; the remaining hearts he needed and that pesky distraction splitting his focus in two. 

Of course, he didn’t indulge in that kind of thinking for long. Doffy was the one who could sacrifice allies as easy as breathing and Law had resolved to be nothing like that man. 

Having failed in finding Shrike’s Alley was also a not insignificant annoyance. It was clearly a well-guarded secret and having publicly thrown in his allegiance with the Vanda family wasn’t going to get him any easy answers. There were likely all manner of unsavory types Law wouldn’t bat an eye at relieving of their hearts, but with that option off the table he was left with nothing to do but wait. His restlessness must have garnered the attention of at least some of his crew, because he could feel eyes on him any time he was in their presence. 

It was, perhaps unsurprisingly, Ikkaku that finally gathered the courage to inquire about his mood, though the fact that she chose to do it from up in the rigging suggested that even she felt it was a delicate subject broached far more safely from a distance, “... Captain?” Hanging from her knees off one of the sail ropes, Ikkaku waited until she had his attention before continuing, “Maybe… we should go do something?”

“Looks like you’re doing something right now,” Law replied off-handedly from where he was sitting, hardly sparing her a glance. He knew what he needed to do, he was just missing the raw materials to complete his goal. There was little to do but wait until another crew fell into his lap or he came across a group worth sacrificing their hearts to the marines. Law didn’t consider himself a man with many morals, but he had his honor. He wouldn’t betray people who didn’t deserve it to the world government, who he still hated almost as much as Doflamingo.

“Yeah, well,” pursing her lips in displeasure at where she was about to take the conversation, Ikkaku nonetheless plowed on ahead - it all needed to be said, “You’re restless, Captain. And when you get restless, you get reckless. You want more hearts, let’s just go get them. A day trip, it’ll be fun. Easy.” For some reason, it was easier to throw out ideas like that when the world was upside down; she’d remember that for future use. 

Huffing out a sound of amusement, Law lifted his head to spare her a glance at that point. “You know I wouldn’t just turn anyone in to the government. Is there a crew out there you know of nearby that deserves it?” Law was aware there were plenty of men in the world who did, but it would be too much time to seek them out. Better to wait for an opportunity, even if the waiting chafed at him.

“Actually…” trailing off, Ikkaku gave him a little grin as she fished a scroll from under the front of her shirt, holding it teasingly between two fingers as she wiggled it at him, “I might.” That said though, she made no move to get down and take it to him. Sometimes it was good, she thought, for her captain to be the one that had to put in a little effort for things. Kept him grounded.

Raising an eyebrow in interest, Law considered her taunt for a moment before he stood. He could have easily gotten it with his power but the restlessness inside him was grateful for a goal, even one so easy to accomplish. The tail of the rope she was dangling from was in reach, and he steadied it briefly before climbing up to her. “What did you find?”

“Oh, you know,” the grin she gave him was so pleased and so full of malice at the same time, “a location. To a place.” The whole crew had been on alert for any mention of Shrike’s Alley and yet where all the men had failed, she had succeeded. And to top that off, it had been surprisingly easy. 

That look reminded him that he was not the only one of the Heart Pirates who was bloodthirsty. Ikkaku could be ruthless when she needed to be and he saw that reflected in her expression now. “It must be an interesting place... “ Trailing off, he took the scroll from her, wrapping his leg around the rope to stand on it, hooking his elbow through for balance as he unrolled it to see what she’d discovered.

“If you like alleys, sure,” unable to hide how giddy she was, Ikkaku couldn’t help but lead Law on with obvious clues as he unfolded the scrap of paper. Scrawled across it was a crude map with a dot marking some important location and a phrase printed sloppily across the bottom, “Have to admit, Captain, their passcode kinda makes me hate them, but I don’t get to crack skulls without your say so.”

The layout of the map matched part of the city Law had mapped out himself. That recognition and her words made him certain he was looking at the location of Shrike’s Alley. His eyes widened only briefly as he took in the information, then he smirked as he looked back up at her. “Clever girl. How did you find this?”

“I made friends,” her comment came with a wicked grin on her lips and a pleasured purr in her tone, “prostitutes don’t mind telling me just about anything when all I want is their ear instead of what’s between their legs.” Ikkaku had made that a habit of hers throughout most of the towns they visited and more often than not it turned up something of value. She’d almost screamed when, in this case, it led her to the one peice of information they’d wanted so damn badly. 

Her words only made Law’s grin widen. It was a tactic he also used quite often, but it took him longer to establish trust. The women who would have information he needed at brothels were also shrewd and used to deceit so it took him a lot longer to establish himself as trustworthy. He could see how another woman would be easier to relay information to, rather than himself. Law was aware of the impression he gave people, “There aren’t likely to be many pirates here, but human traffickers will suffice.”

“Could you take their cocks too, Captain? I think they’d be better off dropped in the ocean,” her eyes darkened as she spoke, finally swinging herself upright onto the rope before resetting her legs to match her captain’s. The unsavories of Shrike’s Alley had plenty of stories to be told about them and Ikkaku couldn’t say she was fond of any of them. 

“Would you rather I leave that up to you?” The passcode on the bottom, “breed the bitches,” made it clear how the men there viewed women; not like many of that type had any respect for the opposite gender. Law knew how angry Ikkaku got when there was any sort of talk about women being inferior and would be more than happy to give her the opportunity to show these men in particular just how much fury a woman could hold.

Ikkaku’s eyes lit up with the thrill of the suggestion before sense settled back in and she pulled a face, “Don’t want to risk your hearts, Captain. My pleasure, they’d bleed to death, but then that would just mean you’d need replacements.” Reaching out for another rope hanging from the yardarm, Ikkaku swung herself over to it before descending hand over hand back toward the deck, “Maybe once you get your thirteen, though? On the ones that matter less?”

“Can’t be a total massacre. We’d upset the balance here, and I intend to stay for a little while. Have to be careful with the goodwill I’ve earned. But what kind of doctor would I be if I couldn’t stop a little bleeding?” Tucking the scroll into a pocket, Law slid down the rope for a moment before letting himself fall the rest of the way, landing catlike on the deck. 

At that Ikkaku’s grin softened into something of a genuine smile as she darted over to her captain and paused for just a moment before pecking a quick kiss of gratitude against his cheek, “You take good care of us.” That done she rocked back on her heels, clasping her hands behind her back and giving him the best eager eyed look she could muster, “So… we’re gonna go do something tonight?”

Law blinked a few times, trying to process the sudden burst of affection before deciding he didn’t hate it. “You have an odd concept of being well taken care of,” he teased before considering her question. He was relatively certain he could come up with something in the hours they had before nightfall. “Give me some time to consider our option, but more than likely yes.”

Eyes glinting with dangerous, hungry joy, Ikkaku only nodded her pleasure at his words before turning on her heel to head into the bowels of the ship, “I’m gonna tell the boys.” It had been too long since they ran as a crew and to be honest, she was more than looking forward to bashing a few heads as a team building exercise. 

Law nodded, already thinking through a few different options. A place that hidden wouldn’t just let unfamiliar people in whether they knew the passcode or not. They had to have something worth bringing. Law knew that his face would be familiar to Gen Lisea’s men, but his own crew were not so well known. It would be so easy for them to pose as friends of the Calico pirates and bring him to their gate as an offering. There were some seastone shackles he had that would make a convincing decoration…

All it took was a call to Osera to get some further intel on the particulars of how one might go about turning in a wanted pirate captain to the enemy to finalize the plan. It was likely that there would be other devil fruit users that deep into Lisea’s territory, so Law sent three of his men in early, scattered throughout the day to keep from drawing attention to themselves. A capture this big was likely to draw a crowd, and the more of his men he had in the crowd, the easier to control it. 

Convincing his crew that it was fine to put him in seastone shackles was a feat in and of itself. They were only a problem if they were locked, and Law demonstrated how easily he could flip them open at least a dozen times before they were satisfied. 

In the end, it was the perfect set up and the enemy fell for the trap hook, line, and sinker. Law guessed part of it was out of desperation to make up for their losses, but in the end Law got his remaining 13 hearts and Ikkaku satisfied herself by removing the parts of these bastards they prided themselves on most.

Returning to their submarine late into the night, Ikkaku and the rest of the crew were full to bursting with the desire to hoot and holler and crow their victory to the skies, but to do so would draw attention. They all knew that they needed to board and relocate, at least for the time being. While they hadn’t officially stepped on any important toes, fact of the matter was they’d still fucked with a powerful family on the island and getting cocky would be a surefire way to ruin their victory. 

So it was with dexterity and excellent night vision that they navigated their way out of the bay and moved the Polar Tang further down the coast, anchoring offshore not too far from a rocky outcropping that would offer protection on their starboard side. That finally done and all hatches sealed, the celebration finally began. Tired or not, nobody was going to sleep for at least the next hour or so - not with the way sound echoed throughout their metal vessel. 

Though Law didn’t have much energy for such rigorous parties, he couldn’t stop himself from getting caught up in the celebration in spite of the fact that they’d just had one the night prior. He finally had something solid, something finished. He could enact the next step of his plan and that felt good. He deserved a little indulgence.

The next morning dawned late, hungover, and lethargic for many of the Heart Pirates. It was Shachi, this time, who approached their captain in the early afternoon with coffee and a plate full of rice balls, hoping the two would be enough to bring Law good spirits. “So… now what, Captain? Y’just… give them all to a courier and… we wait?” While the plan had been explained to him before, this part just seemed so unlike Law. It was strange, the thought that he would just sit and wait for anything.

Though he wasn’t hungover, he hadn’t slept so the coffee was more than welcome. Before responding, Law drank half the mug before he replied. “Essentially. The world government will take some time to make a decision about the next warlord. I can’t move on until I know if this worked or not.” The idea of sitting still for so long was unappealing, but ultimately necessary.

The hesitation that brought to Shachi’s demeanor was obvious, but as he spoke it was made clear that he just needed a little reassurance, “... But it’s not a big deal, really. It’s just a ploy, like you said. They give you the title but we don’t turn into government dogs, we just use it as cover to go after DonQuixote. … Just like you said.” The _Right?_ hidden in his words was obvious, eyes painfully worried as they watched Law. 

“You shouldn’t need to ask me if I truly intend to serve the government, Shachi. Knowing what you know.” Law’s tone was level, but there was a steely look in his eyes at the implication that his intentions might be otherwise. He hadn’t told Shachi where he was from, that much was true, but he had made his hatred of the marines and the world government abundantly clear.

“I-I didn’t ask, Captain!” looking rather embarrassed now that Law had called him out, Shachi did his best to backtrack. And to be fair, really, he hadn’t actually come out and asked anything - it had all been a rather ungraceful suggestion, “I know you’d never!” Shachi’s faith in Law was unquestioning, it was just that sometimes he needed reassurance that he truly understood the things that happened above his pay grade. “So,” nodding eagerly as thought that would placate Law, his crew member sat across from him somewhat awkwardly and did his best to seem excited at the words he said next, “we wait!”

The steely look faded almost immediately. There was really nothing to hold against Shachi; he was the more careful of the three closest to him, the one who most often sought to fully understand Law’s plans. “Yes. We wait. The Vanda family will owe us after this, for crippling their enemies. It should be a safe enough place to stay.”

“Right!” Still doing his best to walk himself out of the corner he’d boxed himself into, Shachi cast around for anything else he could say to assuage Law’s pointed comments - the gentling of his captain’s features hadn’t been noticed quite yet, “And you’ve - we’ve got support around too. It will be nice to have a… a friendly pirate crew nearby, for sure.”

Law felt his lips curl into a smile. Even now, his crew wasn’t sure how to address what he and Kid were. It really wasn’t fair to expect otherwise, though; Law had thought about it himself and he couldn’t even put a name to it. “Yes. It will,” he agreed simply, deciding not to antagonize Shachi over his choice of words. 

The mention of Kid brought him back to the number he’d been given. Law refused to appear desperate, or too out of control to keep from using it. He forced himself to wait and instead busied himself with arranging transport of the one hundred hearts to the marines and working out long term residence for his crew with Osera in exchange for further crippling Gen Lisea’s operations. 

It was the third night that found him in his cabin, unable to sleep, the transponder snail blinking at him enticingly. It wasn’t too late and no respectable pirate kept normal hours, anyway. There had always been something soothing about the redhead’s presence and Law was curious to see if that sense of calm could be conveyed by his voice alone. That sense of curiosity was what had him dialing the number he’d been given at quarter past eleven o’clock at night, waiting anxiously to see if Kid would answer.

Law’s hopes were rewarded on the fourth ring, though he did hear some muttering about legs being in the way before Kid’s voice, and attention, fully came through the line to him, “Heh, I was starting to think you’d forgotten me.” Finally fully disentangling himself from Killer’s limbs and bedsheets, Kid bade his second farewell with a cheeky grin before heading back to his own quarters, “Guess not.”

The muffled words he was able to pick up made it pretty clear Kid hadn’t been alone. Cocking an eyebrow, Law shifted and let the transponder snail rest on the pillow beside him, rolling onto his side. “Did I interrupt something? Sounded like you might have had company. Miss me that much?”

That got a droll chuckle and a casual shrug from the man on the other end of the line, “I like to cuddle. Adding you just gave me another option.” Slipping into his little cavern and finding his own bed by touch more than by sight, Kid pulled back the covers and tossed himself down between them, “You come around and I’ll leave Killer alone.”

Law found himself unable to respond right away, caught off guard by a curious jealous spike that pierced through him. Interesting. “Is that an invitation to come around?” he asked finally after he’d recovered, forcing himself to keep any hints of jealousy out of his voice. The last thing he needed was for Kid to pick up on it.

“If you wanna take it as one,” Kid’s words were steady but warm, his eyes drifting closed as he pillowed his head down into the soft nest of his bed before bringing the mouthpiece of the snail back up to his lips. Settling in, a grin found its way into his tone as his fingers danced over the wire connecting it to the transponder, “But you’re not here right now, so now what, Law?”

“I’m not far away,” Law began, injecting a hint of carelessness into his tone. Damn him for being a flame that drew him in like a placid moth. “I could be there soon enough. If you asked nicely.” There was an idea; make Kid beg the way he liked to hear from Law. 

Kid’s response was immediate, a sharp click of the tongue that made it clear that - at least tonight - he wasn’t going to play that way. Law was his, to take and bend and color and please, and he wasn’t going to get away with trying to insinuate that he could change those roles, “You’re the one who asks for things, Trafalgar Law. So that’s what you’re gonna do now. You’re going to lay on your back, you’re gonna put both hands on your pillow, and you’re going to ask me for whatever you want next.”

Feeling a laugh bubble up in his chest at the outrageous demands, Law was surprised to find that he was obeying in spite of himself. “And how are you going to enforce that, Captain Kid? I could be hanging upside down from the rigging like a bat and you’d be none the wiser.” For someone who wasn’t into sex for his own needs, he sure knew how to insinuate enough to make a flare of desire well up in Law with such little effort. Not for the first time, he was simultaneously impressed and frustrated by how easily his body reacted to such little stimulus from Kid.

When Kid responded it was with such a smug sense of certainty that, had it been directed at Killer, would have earned him an elbow to the gut, “I don’t need to enforce it. Not when it’s something you wanna do.” That was the beauty of the interactions like this that he had with Law; the raven-haired man wanted to follow his orders and truly, there was nothing more fucking gorgeous than that.

His initial intention had been to make plans to meet in the morning; Law wasn’t calling in the middle of the night due to any sexually motivated means, but he wasn’t complaining about the turn this seemed to be taking. “It’s not at all what I want to do. It’s a little long distance for my taste,” that was as close to an admission that he didn’t want to be alone as he was going to get.

The chuckle that got from Kid was genuine and easy. He wasn’t going to push if Law wasn’t in the mood; the end result of this kind of thing was for his benefit, anyway. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t have a bit of fun with it, “What specifically is ‘a little long distance’ for you, Law? I told you t’ask for whatever you wanted, didn’t think that was such a hard request.”

“You’re a bastard,” Law replied with enough affection to counter his words. It was true that Kid had only insinuated, so of course he was putting the ball in Law’s court, making him be the one to admit to what he wanted only now that Kid had planted the seed.

Just to be a cheeky little shit, the rejoinder Kid threw out was correct only on technical terms, “No, they were married.” Not that he really wanted to talk much about his parents, but it was a light enough reference he could move on, “Still haven’t told me what you want.” Kid was having so much fun he couldn’t imagine giving in and letting the conversation move on to anything else.

“Hmm.” Law considered the words and shifted his arms above his head, fingers winding around the opposite wrist to keep them there. “I’ve seen what your mouth can do in person. Why don’t you show me what it can do for me now?”

Without missing a beat, without even a single second’s hesitation, Kid started singing. The tune was a well known sea shanty and his low baritone actually carried the notes quite nicely, as he sung without any sense of nervousness or uncertainty. He actually managed to make it through two whole stanzas without breaking into laughter and though it was getting harder, he was going to do his damndest to finish the whole song that way too.

This was ridiculous. Kid was certainly trying to seduce him five minutes ago, and now he was singing, and Law… Law felt himself laughing. It was a snicker at first but as Kid just kept going he had to stuff his knuckles past his teeth to keep from cackling. How was he so effortlessly endearing? It really was intensely frustrating.

Coming to the end of the song with a rather dramatic lyrical trill, Kid broke into a huge grin at the sound of Law’s laughter and finally succumbed to it himself, the sound of his own amusement mingling with Law’s through the line. It took a few minutes before he was able to contain himself and speak again, though even then the words were laced with laughter, “What’d’ya think?”

“Not what I was expecting, but I'll take it I suppose,” Law replied, humor still evident in his tone. He hadn't forgotten the tone Kid had used on him earlier nor the effect it had but like hell was he going to bring it up again. Rolling onto his side to face the transponder snail, he didn't bother hiding the sounds of his movement before he spoke. “So you're the captain and the entertainment. That must be exhausting.”

And the snap back into that aforementioned tone was immediate and sharp, “I didn’t say you could move.” Though he didn’t verbally give the order to return to his previous position, it was clearly implicated in the biting way he snapped the words. Choosing to ignore Law’s previous statement all together, Kid gave him what was perhaps the only warning he would get that night, “I’m only going to correct you once.”

Law really and truly did not like being told what to do. But something about this game they were playing was so appealing in its own right that it took only a brief hesitation before he obeyed. “Moody tonight, aren't you?” He grumbled, but there was an undeniable pitch of arousal in the words.

“I expect you to do what I say,” came Kid’s almost haughty rejoinder, though the sound of Law shifting back into position did serve to placate him somewhat. Shifting himself as he got more comfortable between his sheets, Kid returned to playing with the cord of the transponder snail before speaking again, “Now. What did I tell you to tell me?”

“Heh. Don't expect to get what you want all that often, then,” Law replied, rebellious in word alone as he stared up at the ceiling. Being on his back was much more fun when he had something to look at. “I told you what I wanted already, or do you usually spontaneously burst into song in the middle of the night? I'd feel bad for your crew if that was the case…”

“And I gave it to you,” the grin on his face was wicked. The idea of Law being obedient even miles away flushed Kid with a sense of power he couldn’t help but crave more of, so he went in search of it as best he could, “So if y’had something else y’wanted, be more specific.” 

Playing these sort of games with someone who wasn't in it to get off really made it clear how out of his depth Law was. His usual games of being patient while he made seductive insinuations until his partner couldn't hold back wouldn't work here. Suddenly he felt himself on the other end of that scenario, the one who couldn't hold back, and all without any effort on Kid's part. “Mm, I was thinking something more along the lines of the morning after the party.”

“Snuggles?” Kid queried then, the joy of toying with Law like this clear as day in his tone. Using particularly ridiculous language as part of it all brought him so close to laughing again he had to muffle himself in the pillows for a moment before he could continue, “Or breakfast after?” Of course he knew what Law meant, but he wanted to make him say it.

“That's a little hard to simulate without you here, wouldn't you say?” Still preferring to use insinuations, Law was aware that he couldn't appeal to Kid’s sex drive but that didn't mean he couldn't try to manipulate his softer side to get what he wanted without saying it, “Did you forget already? I'm a little hurt, Kid.”

This time Kid let his laugh come without any impediment, the sound raucous for all he tried to keep it quiet. When he got that under control the follow up response he gave Law was rife with amusement and a hint of pointed commentary, “The wounded damsel doesn’t sound good on you, Law. Or convincing.”

Snorting out the breath he'd been holding, Law dropped the act easily enough. It wasn't his usual and he didn't like acting hurt anyway. The whole thing was well outside his wheelhouse and he couldn't blame Kid for not falling for it. “Yeah, fine. I want you to talk dirty to me so I can get off and maybe get some sleep. Satisfied?” 

The satisfaction rippled through Kid’s voice so deep it was like a lion’s purr, “Better. Was that so hard?” Snorting to himself when he had the thought he hoped it had made Law hard, at least, Kid turned further onto his side and pulled his knees in closer to his chest, making a little nest in the curve of his body to hopefully help keep his voice contained to this little nook, “Want me to tell you how you’re allowed to stroke your cock? Hoping I’ll let you finger yourself? Both? You’re not getting anything you don’t ask for. You tell me what you want to do, I’ll tell you if you’re allowed to do it.”

“Mmh, if I'm being honest, being told every little thing I can and can't do is kind of a turn off. Better to do that sort of thing when you can control it personally.” Law couldn't say why he was encouraging that kind of behavior other than because he knew Kid enjoyed it. If the redhead wasn't getting much physically out of their time together, there were other ways Law could indulge him. To say nothing of the fact that Law actually _wanted_ to, too. He supposed he should stop being surprised that he wanted to please the redhead, “Why don't you tell me what you'd do if you were here, instead?”

“Bossy little bastard,” but this time, the words were laced with teasing affection. Kid could, perhaps, give into that request with a caveat, “Fine. But you only get to do any of it when you ask and get permission.” Waiting for Law’s response, Kid started to let his mind wander and try to determine what the best scenarios to play with were. 

“How about I ask for permission to start and to finish? Otherwise I'll interrupt what I'm sure will be a thrilling story.” Law could make a few concessions but it wasn't fun asking for permission when there was technically no one to stop him. “Maybe if you're good I'll make it up to you next time we can do this in person,” he added slyly, a little incentive for Kid to agree.

“If I’m good?” The redhead’s raised eyebrow could practically be heard through the line, “Oh, I don’t think so.” Clicking his tongue, Kid snapped his first demand down the line, “Wrap your left hand around your cock, but don’t move it otherwise.” Giving Law only a few moments to obey, Kid then responded again with full expectations that Law behave correctly this time, “Now. Try that again.”

Far from being cowed, Law chuckled as he moved to obey. “Aww, you remembered that I'm left handed. That's sweet,” he cooed. It didn't matter that it turned him on when Kid got like this; he needed to be reminded that he wasn't the only captain here. Law wasn't just going to fall in line every time he was given an order. 

Though he hadn’t been pushed to that point yet, Kid wasn’t adverse to implementing the ultimate retort if he needed to, “Don’t forget, punishing you is as easy as hanging up.” But part of Kid had to respect Law’s seemingly relentless drive to disobey; he would have done the same thing, if their roles were reversed. He supposed it was a captain thing. 

“Then you won't have the satisfaction of hearing me ask you for permission to come. And I'll still get to do it. So who does that really punish, Kid?” At the end of the day, Law's drive was physical and Kid was the one who enjoyed the control that he could only get if he stayed on the line. He knew neither of them wanted that so it was an empty threat either way. But it was part of the game and damn was it a fun game.

Law’s words caught Kid’s full attention so quick it felt like whiplash. Licking his lips, surprised by the desperate clench of want he felt in his chest, Kid waited until he was certain he could keep his voice level before responding. “Promise that and I’ll give you permission for everything else,” fuck, but he’d take the reward of Law begging for final release over pretty much anything else, especially in a situation like this where the other man really didn’t have to ask for anything at all. 

“Weren't you listening, Kid?” Law asked, voice deeper than usual even as he put on a breathless tone. “I already promised I'd ask for permission to start and to finish. Or was that not clear enough for you?” Figuring he'd take advantage of Kid's apparent distraction, he allowed his left hand to move, stroking the length of his cock deliberately, sighing into the mouthpiece. “But if all you want is for me to ask to come, I suppose there's no point waiting.”

Fucking little… grunting softly, Kid decided to let it go. He hadn’t taken that statement the way Law had apparently meant it and he supposed that was a lesson - he’d have to focus more on Law’s specific turn of phrase and pick it apart or the other man would twist it to his pleasure somehow. So Kid did his best to do the same, “Helpless, aren’t you?” His tone grew low as he spoke, slipping into something sexual again, “Can’t handle yourself around me. That’s fine.”

“I'd say I'm handling myself just fine,” Law purred in response, deliberately letting his breath catch in his throat as his thumb circled the tip before stroking back down his length. He was taking liberties with the loophole he’d found and he wanted Kid to know it. Law was better at acting aloof and unaffected than Kid could ever hope to be so he was completely unruffled by the attempt to make him sound like the desperate one.

“Mouthy is like your main trait,” Kid commented, though he was beginning to think he wouldn’t have it any other way. But he could feel sleep tugging at him in the distance and if they were going to play he wanted to make sure it was fulfilling for Law, “No, no. Not yet. Hand at the base of your cock. Squeeze until it just starts to hurt.”

“Now you’re speaking my language,” Law murmured, moving to do just that without any hesitation. “But remember, I want a story. Not for you to tell me what to do.” It wouldn’t be like him to just respond obediently any time he was given an order without talking back. Mouthiness was his main trait, after all.

“You’ll get what I give,” Kid countered, though there was no bite to the words as he slipped into his story right afterwards. “If I were there…” his voice trailed off for a moment as he considered just exactly what he would do, before launching into the story with gusto, “I’d keep you pinned on your back, ‘cause you have the least control that way. Nothing to rub on ‘cept your hands, and I’d have those tied so tight to the headboard my sash’d leave marks.”

The promise of pain sent a shiver of pleasure through him. In spite of the fact that Law didn’t like to be bound, there was something so personal and possessive about Kid having used his sash to do it that he didn’t mind. Fabric was easy enough to escape from, after all. 

Law found himself enraptured by Kid’s voice, the story he wove through the airwaves. It made him miss the other man’s physical presence so vividly he almost wanted to stop and just go to him. Law was impressed by how well Kid managed to weave a story when there was little in it for him - it made Law feel special, in a way. By the time the story came to an end, Law kept his promise, obediently asking permission before he came with a stifled grunt.

As he weaved together the tale of nails he’d rake down Law’s body, or lingered on the detail of how he’d tease the slit of his captive’s cock with his tongue while the other man was so desperate to come he’d be choking on the need, tears running down his face, Kid found himself enraptured in the whole experience in his own way. There was something so powerful and yet so intimate about using literally nothing but his voice and his imagination to bring Law to an actual, physical climax. The sound of Law coming - when he finally allowed it - actually pulled an answering groan from Kid’s throat, “That’s it… mine, all mine. Good for me.”

After seeing the way Doffy had treated his family - possessively, jealousy - Law resolved that he would never belong to anybody in the way the Donquixote Family seemed to belong to their captain. But this felt… different. Even if Kid used those same words, they were still equals. It wasn’t one submitting fully to the other, it was each of them giving the other what they needed. He didn’t hate the sound of it as much as he thought he would. It even made him feel warm, wanted. Good. 

Wiping his hand off on his discarded shirt, Law worked to catch his breath. “You’re surprisingly good at that,” he admitted, voice carrying the weight of his sudden exhaustion. “Maybe this should be something we do more often.” 

The laugh that greeted Law then was far softer than all those that had come before it, a sleepy little chuckle, “Thanks. Can’t say I’ve had a ton of practice.” Or any, really, considering this had been his first foray into transponder-aided sex at all. It came easy, natural then, to complement Law in return, “Never met anybody who kept my attention on just breaths and grunts.”

“Oh, that’s something I _have_ had practice with,” Law replied with a little chuckle. He knew how to be alluring in every movement, every sound. He hadn’t been pretending with Kid, though; every sound he’d made had been genuine, earned by the redhead’s clever tongue and the physical desire he felt in spite of the fact that he was, for all intents and purposes, alone in his room.

“Not surprised,” when Kid responded, it was with obvious affection. Something about the late hour, the warmth of his sheets, and the intimacy shared between them over nothing more than a phone line made everything feel like a cocoon, warm and sheltered and safe. “Sucks though, the after’s my favorite part,” as he spoke, the exhaustion in his voice finally started to seep through, coloring his words and slurring his speech slightly. 

Maybe it was the late hour. Maybe it was the fact that he actually felt tired enough to sleep. Maybe it was just that same desire to please Kid. Whatever it was, Law felt himself speaking with the same heaviness to his voice, “Mmh. Well, if I was there, I’d let you lay tucked up against my side like you like. With my legs over your knees. It’s pretty comfortable, actually.” It felt natural, to turn Kid’s description of what he would do to Law into Law’s own tale of what he would do in return.

“Sounds…” Kid tried for a moment to find the right words, but discarded that thought quickly enough when he realized he really didn’t care if it was eloquent or not, “fucking perfect.” Closing his eyes and pulling one corner of his pillow to his chest, Kid began to drift off imagining exactly the scene Law had described. 

There was such fondness in Kid’s tone that Law felt himself smiling. It would be easy enough to leave it at that, but Kid had gone into such detail for him that he felt it was lacking. “I could… I dunno, rub your back too. Or your head. Some people like having their hair… touched... “ He was woefully lacking in his ability for this kind of talk when he’d never let anyone sleep in his bed until Kid. That and he was too tired to try and think of a more elegant way to describe what he was picturing, but with how far gone Kid sounded Law figured the effort would have just been wasted on him anyway.

“M’back,” had he been more awake, the words would have been more forceful, but as it was he was too tired and too content to let the demons of the past rear up. There was a long beat before he spoke again, sleep clearly pulling him deeper into its grasp with every passing moment, “Thanks…” The unvarnished, vulnerable way Kid allowed his true wants to seep through the line connecting them was so unlike him but right now, with this man, it felt safer than he ever thought it could. 

As he heard Kid slowly slipping away into sleep, Law felt himself pulled down right along with him. Almost like, as comforting as his physical presence had been, his voice held the same mystifying power. Even as Law fell asleep, the connection between them was kept alive by the transponder snail and he was lulled into slumber of his own by the sound of Kid’s even breathing on the other end of the line.


	24. *An Understanding

Waking the next morning, Kid found himself smiling fondly at the disconnected receiver of his transponder snail before he even fully roused into consciousness. Almost immediately his mind suggested picking it up and ringing for nothing more than a good morning. That was followed by a brief moment where he considered whether or not that would come across as pathetic before deciding he didn’t care and making the call anyway. 

In a bright mood as he wandered into the main hall, Kid scrubbed absently at his hair as he looked around at the immense amount of work his men had finished in a remarkably short amount of time. It really was impressive, the amount of talent and dedication the crew had. It was moments like these that reminded him how humbled he was, as always, by the loyalty they showed him. 

Seeking out companionship as he broke his fast, Kid thanked Bolt for the breakfast with a sleepy grin and lazy salute before joining Hex, Wrench, and Grudge at their table. Settling in on the end of one bench seat, Kid greeted them with the same irreverent gesture before starting to tuck into his eggs. He wasn’t initially chatty in the morning, but his crew knew they could pull him into conversation with relative ease if they started it.

“Mornin’ Cap’,” Hex greeted, grinning around the bacon he was shoveling into his mouth. He always ate like it was a competition, something Grudge quietly encouraged by managing to eat almost twice as much with little effort. Hex was always turning mundane things into a challenge; between him and Jinx there was always something lively going on. 

“How’s Yara feeling? She’s on the mend, right?” Wrench butted in, trying to hide his nerves behind a piece of toast he was haphazardly chewing on. He still felt guilty for his part in Yara’s sickness; he’d been the one to fish her out of the water but he also blamed himself for letting her get there in the first place.

Nodding his head in Hex’s direction in greeting, Kid went through two more forkfuls of egg before tilting his head from side to side in a stretch and answering Wrench, “Yeah, she’s getting better. Hope she learned something from it, too.” His voice wasn’t accusatory, just a little tired and maybe a hint sad. He and Yara seemed to have gotten back on even footing, but it still stressed him out to fight with her.

Feeling like he had unfairly dodged responsibility for that, Wrench nervously rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s… not really her fault entirely. I should’ve kept a better eye on her; she’s just gotten old enough I thought she knew better than to do somethin’ like that. I hope you didn’t get mad at her. She’s just… y’know, she loves you.” Feeling a bit sheepish, he snagged one of Hex’s strips of bacon and chewed on it to fill the silence.

Even though he’d hadn’t specifically put much thought into it, Kid knew in the back of his mind that Wrench and Mosh had to have been around for Yara’s midnight swim. But at the end of the day… “Yeah, I know. But you’re right, she knew better.” He wasn’t going to pin Yara’s sickness on her babysitters, not when they weren’t the ones who tossed her in the water. Scrubbing absently at his hair for a moment, Kid sighed, “It gets… harder as she grows up.”

“We all wanted to grow up faster…” Wrench trailed off, shrugging slightly. He didn’t have any siblings of his own or any other way to relate, really. He was an orphan, a street urchin who’d initially followed Kid out of desperation. What he could remember was the desire to grow stronger and more capable as fast as possible; kids who couldn’t were often found in the gutters.

“Well, how could she not wanna be more independent? Considering her brother is the future King of the Pirates n’all. She’s got nothin’ but examples of strength around her. Can’t really blame her for that, can we?” Hex asked, turning to elbow Kid with a grin.

Allowing Hex’s comment to do as he intended it to, Kid smiled a little and felt his mood buoy, “Damn straight.” Finishing off his first egg, Kid started in on the wonderfully aromatic sausage curved around the right side of his plate, biting through the casing and into meat so dark it looked black. If there was one thing from his homeland that was worth keeping, it was this meat. 

“Speaking of, Cap,” Hex began, slyly spearing one of Grudge’s uneaten eggs so the yolk burst before jerking his arm back to avoid the tines of a fork aimed for the top of his hand, his amused snicker chasing the words as he spoke, “what comes next? We’re not gonna be here forever, and it’d be nice to know what we have to look forward to.”

Grunting softly as he considered the question, Kid decided to play along with Hex as he stuck the bottom of his fork under the edge of Grudge’s plate, using it to pull it along the table top as though he was threatening to pull it over the edge. Grinning a bit to himself, Kid waited to see when Hex would catch on as he figured out the best way to word things to his men. 

“Hah! Watch out, Grudge, y’got a runaway breakfast,” Hex jeered, leaning forward in his seat to get a closer look. Instead of losing his cool, Grudge swiftly swung one of his substantially long legs out to the side and shoved the chair out from underneath Hex. Since his center of gravity was pitched forward the chair was pushed away easily enough, sending the smaller man onto his ass. Rather than gloat, Grudge simply salted his runny egg and continued eating without sparing a glance at his crewmate, who was currently laying on the floor howling with laughter.

Grudge’s brazen disregard for his newly ambulatory meal was admirable and that, combined with Hex’s current predicament, had him curled over in laughter of his own. Once their amusement finally died down, Kid took a swig of his ale before he spoke, “I’ve been talking with this guy Law hooked me up with on the island and I got a lead on the missing Road Poneglyph, I’m just figuring how t’handle it.”

“Aww, shit, Captain!” Hex yelled from the ground, scrambling back up to his feet. “We’re workin’ on the Poneglyphs already?” All his prior interest in fucking with Grudge was forgotten as Kid shared their next steps. Grudge and Wrench both paused in what they were doing to give their captain their full attention as well, rapt and curious. This was a huge next step, one that was certain to draw them in to tussles with the Four Emperors. 

“Yeah,” the grin on his face was so wide you could have sailed a ship through it, “why the fuck not, we need ‘em.” Beginning to lay out what he knew to his men, he talked through some of the details and potential plans he and Killer had already been discussing. It would be delicate, dangerous work, targeting Red-Haired Shanks, but it made sense, didn’t it, that one of Roger’s old crew members would have still have one of the way points to Raftel. 

“Hah!” Once Kid laid out who their target was, Hex couldn’t hold back his laughter, “Guess there can only be one powerful redhead in the New World, huh? Dude’s down an arm, too.” In spite of their relative silence, Wrench and Grudge were clearly thrumming with the news, sharing knowing glances over their forgotten breakfasts.

“I’ll make it two if he gets in my way,” Kid responded with an appetite as voracious for blood as it was for blood sausage. It felt damn good to be ready to actually start making big moves, doing more than just causing a stir. He knew his men wanted as badly as he did and they all deserved to slake their thirst. 

Of course, the crew felt a mix of excited and nervous energy at the prospect of facing one of the Emperors. They’d tested their strength against their peers, but facing an enemy of that magnitude was as thrilling a prospect as it was intimidating. Not that they would hesitate, but each and every one of them would admit that facing a crew that had been established in the New World as long as any of the Four Emperors carried a weight to it that none of them would be able to ignore.

Tapping his teeth with the tines of his fork, Kid sighed then as the weight of it all settled on him as it always did. As excited as he - and his men - were, it was important to him that they come through it alive on the other side. “We’re gonna have to be careful,” he said it aloud even though he was sure all of them already knew because that was his job as captain - to take care of them, ensure their safety, see them on through to another day, “y’die on me and you’ll piss me off.”

“Damn, guys. Cap’s gotta be pissin’ his pants if he’s tellin’ us we have to be careful. Didn’t think y’knew the word, boss,” Hex teased before finally settling back in to finish his breakfast. Logistics weren’t his thing, after all; he was more than happy to just do what he was told so long as he got a higher kill count than anyone else. Maybe he was just one guy without any special abilities, but Hex didn’t shy away from competing with Killer and the captain himself in that regard.

The look Kid shot Hex at that was nothing short of shriveling, his face at once completely conveying the concepts of “come the fuck on” and “I could punch you right now” without him actually having to say the words. But even considering that, it was all still in good nature, “You run in to fight an Emperor half cocked and yer basically letting him catch you with your dick in your hand.”

Far from feeling reproachful, Hex snorted with laughter. “You got dick on the mind this morning, huh? Is it just the sausage, or should someone call Trafalgar?” Rather than muse over the dangers of facing an Emperor, he would much rather move on to a more amusing topic. He’d know what he needed when the time came.

“Naw,” Kid responded easily, awake enough now to have the energy to engage in the banter, “I got him off over the snail last night, he’s good.” In this aspect, as with most others in his life, Kid had no shame. His men wanted to talk about his odd little sex life, he’d let them. Stretching out under the table, Kid curled his toes against the rough-hewn wood and yawned for a second before commenting, “This much time on dry land’s been fuckin’ me up, miss a rolling deck already.”

Hex howled with laughter and even Wrench and Grudge seemed amused. “Poor snail,” Grudge muttered, imagining the things it must have seen and heard. Not that he had any problem with it, but involving the snail seemed a little… odd. _He_ damn well couldn’t get off with its buggy eyes watching him the whole time.

Amused at his own crew’s amusement, Kid just grinned and shook his head slightly as he enjoyed their company. Tilting his head back over his shoulder, he turned just in time to see Killer and Yara both enter the cavern, the younger of the two perched on the elder’s shoulder. “Morning!” Kid’s voice rang through the cavern as he worked to make room for the two of them at their full, but not quite yet crowded, table.

Rather than taking her own seat, Yara crawled up into Kid’s lap instead. She’d been feeling clingy since their fight; it was a miracle Kid had been alone the night prior as she’d been sneaking into his room in the middle of the night. “Did you eat all the blood sausage?” she asked, seeing the remnants of Kid’s still lingering on his plate.

Chuckling softly, Kid tugged lightly on her bedhead braids as he responded, “Do I ever eat all the blood sausage?” Kid had found out years ago that she loved it as much as he did and he learned his lesson quick when it came to forgetting to leave her any. As he beckoned for Bolt to bring her a plate he re-situated her in his lap slightly, to get her bony ass somewhere a little more comfortable, “You sleep with Killer last night?”

“Uh huh. You were talkin’ to someone so I went to see him instead. Musta been important ‘cause it was so late,” that said, she happily reached for the plate, dipping a piece of toast into the yolk of an egg and chewing on it slowly as she blinked the sleep from her eyes. It was a rough life, hers.

… that, he hadn’t considered. Swallowing a little he just plastered a grin on his face and changed the topic before she started asking any questions, hoping she hadn’t overheard much of anything, “How’d you sleep?” Watching her as she nibbled at her breakfast, Kid didn’t even try to resist the sense of fond affection that filled him - she was so sweet like this.

“Good. Killer shares better than you,” Yara replied with an impish grin. Both she and Kid tended to sprawl which usually meant they ended up in awkward positions as they shifted in the night. She was known for stealing pillows in particular while Kid tended to hog the blankets and then throw them off when he inevitably got hot in the night.

“Yeah,” Kid agreed easily enough, knowing he didn’t have an argument to make. But what he did have was a counterpoint, “He shares better than you, too. Don’t wake up with his foot in my ribs.” Working above her head, Kid smeared jam over her other triangle of toast before returning it to her plate, knowing she’d want the sweet soon enough. 

“Maybe you shouldn’t put your ribs where my feet wanna be,” Yara countered without any hesitation, ignoring the freshly topped toast in favor of her eggs and sausage. She seemed to gain noticeable energy for every bite she took and by the time she was finished with the savory part of her breakfast she was sitting up tall and practically thrumming with energy.

His chuckle was equal parts rueful and defeated, “Maybe not, kiddo.” Seeing Yara perk up helped Kid to do the same, growing more eager with each passing moment. Casting a look over to his second, who had taken a seat across the table, Kid couldn’t help but grin and poke at him a little, “Miss me last night?”

“Not at all,” Killer replied blandly between bites of his own meal. He paused to gesture at Yara. “She’s much quieter to spend the night with,” he added, clearly referencing the call that had pulled Kid away. He wasn’t jealous, necessarily. In his mind, Trafalgar was still the shiny new thing that his captain was currently occupied with. His family would always be what was most important in the end.

“For you, maybe,” Kid grumbled into the mouthful of egg he took for himself then, his glare light but pointed as he looked Killer’s way. For all that he wanted Killer to be okay with whatever was going on between him and Law, Kid couldn’t help but wish there was a little jealousy, a little possessiveness, that roused in Killer’s blood -after all, for so long, Kid had belonged to nobody but him and Yara.

If pressed, Killer would admit that he was a little jealous at how quickly Kid had gotten up to take the call with Trafalgar but Kid didn’t need to know that, though. Kid couldn’t seem to decide whether or not he wanted Killer’s approval to continue this thing with the other captain or if he was looking for Killer to continue to be disapproving and jealous. To be honest, that was Kid’s problem to solve. He was more concerned with his breakfast.

Sighing a little at Killer’s lack of engagement, Kid gave up and returned his attention to the group at large, starting to talk through their upcoming plan more specifically. They were still a long way off from being ready to confront Red-Haired Shanks directly but they certainly had steps they could take to make them more prepared. 

The longer they talked, the more Kid realized that this base wound up being of paramount importance to their next steps. Numerous smaller crews would strike out from here to conduct research, fight, or continue to look for clues and having a common, safe place to reunite and debrief was more than useful, it was necessary. Not to mention he got to keep Yara safe here and let her feel grounded, at least for a little while. Feeling better than he had in awhile, Kid grinned as he finished off his breakfast - fuck, but it was nice to have clear next steps laid out, to know what he had to do to get closer to his goals.

Once breakfast had concluded, Killer sat back in his seat, surveying Kid and Yara where they sat for a long moment before he leaned forward to rest his elbows on the smooth wood of the table. “Why don’t we go to the mainland today,” he proposed, keeping his tone level, “there are some cool shops, Yara, and I think your brother has some important research he needs to do.” Killer still hadn’t forgotten the somewhat pointed conversation he and Kid had had about the need to understand Trafalgar’s motives. If he needed assistance in getting the process started, Killer was more than happy to provide sufficient motivation.

The dramatic sigh Kid wanted to heave at that came without restraint - the redhead had considered, for a moment, holding it in, but what was the point. The sound, coupled with the very pointed, narrow eyed look he sent Killer’s way, made his opinion on Killer’s meddling quite clear, but he didn’t go out of his way to argue. The sooner he did it, the sooner Killer would leave him alone about the whole thing.

The prospect of getting to go back to the mainland was clearly exciting to Yara. She enjoyed getting to take in new places, new experiences. There was only so much of that she could learn while being surrounded by the same people every day. “Really?! That sounds awesome! Can we look for new clothes, too? Some of mine are getting too small…” clearly, Yara hadn’t picked up on the pointed between the lines conversation Kid and Killer were having, too focused on the idea of getting to visit a new place.

“You can get whatever you want, Kiddo,” taking the chance to make Killer’s life just a little bit harder in exchange for his nosiness, Kid encouraged her to the fullest extent of his abilities, “Killer’ll take you into every single shop you want.” Pushing his second’s patience just a bit further, Kid added on to that promise while giving Killer the best side eye he could muster, “And he’ll try on anything y’want him to, too. I know how much y’like playing dress up together.”

Far from being perturbed, Killer merely shrugged. He didn’t mind indulging Yara, especially when there were no more pressing matters to see to. In this case, Kid was the one who would have more to do lest he come home empty-handed. It was infinitely easier to indulge Yara’s desire to play dress up than it was to wheedle information out of a man like Trafalgar, “Sounds like fun to me.”

Kid couldn’t help but petulantly stick his tongue out at that, knowing it was childish and deciding he didn’t care. On the one hand, Killer’s incessant meddling was frustrating. (Even if Kid knew it was merited.) On the other, it’s not like this conversation with Law was going to be that hard. … He hoped. “You’ll have’t model for me when y’get back,” was his last rejoinder before he let it go, tacitly acknowledging to Killer that he would do as his second had asked.

Yara couldn’t help but feel like there was something else going on between the two that she couldn’t quite pick up on. After looking back and forth at them for a moment, she narrowed her eyes and frowned. “You guys are being weird,” she concluded when there was nothing else to be found, just the lingering feeling that there was something just out of her reach.

Kid took that opportunity to change the subject and distract her all at once, starting to tickle her now that she’d finished eating. The sound of her squealing filled the room and not long after, so did the little smiles and hidden grins of the burly men around her - Yara helped keep them all grounded, feeling human, more than they ever could have imagined. 

It was early in the afternoon when a small subset of the Kid Pirates made landfall on the main island, having taken the longboat across the channel instead of the Black Rose; it seemed silly to move the entire ship for three men and one little girl. Parting ways at the dock with a kiss to her forehead and a swat to Killer’s ass, Kid watched as he and Grudge shepherded Yara toward town before he turned to make his way toward Law’s submarine himself. 

After the heat they’d brought about by crippling Shrike’s Alley, Law had moved the Polar Tang from the main dock around to one controlled by the Vanda family. It was no longer kept submerged, all of them feeling safer in the territory controlled by allies. As there was little for the crew to do in terms of achieving their captain’s goals, they spent much of their time in town and Law found himself on deck more often than not, enjoying the sun and mild weather. Though restlessness was starting to nag at him, he could admit that not being cooped up so much was pleasant.

That morning the crew had eaten on deck and while most of them had headed into town after the fact, Bepo stayed back. He and Law had idly played cards until the Mink had gotten drowsy in the sun and laid down for a nap right in the middle of the deck. Rather than turn to something else to keep himself occupied, Law joined him, head resting on the bear’s side as they both drifted off.

Finding the Polar Tang hadn’t been hard - it stuck out like a sore thumb even without the polar bear accessory currently decorating the top deck. Grinning a little bit as he came across the sight from the docks, Kid contemplated his next move for a moment before heading toward the gangplank and coming to a stop at its base. For all that he didn’t give a shit for manners, there were some things a pirate just didn’t do unless he was aiming for a fight, and inviting oneself onto a different captain’s ship without permission was one of those things. 

Casting his gaze around to determine the best way to wake the mink and his scrawny captain, Kid noticed a wind chime hanging from a nearby merchant vessel and decided to borrow it for himself. Manipulating it skillfully, Kid used his power to move it until it was dangling near Law and Bepo’s heads before allowing the individual metal cylinders to start sliding against one another. The chime that started to echo across the water was soft and melodious, something surprisingly kind to wake up to.

Rather than waking, the sound of the chime seemed to lull Bepo further as he hummed and burrowed his head against his arms, as he had them pillowed beneath him. Law, on the other hand, being the light sleeping that he was, did wake. He blinked a few times, rubbing his eyes before they focused on the wind chime as it hovered nearby. There was only one person he knew of that could manipulate metal that way, and he felt himself smiling as he sat up. “Funny meeting you here,” Law drawled, voice heavy with sleep but with a current of fondness in his tone.

“Not really,” the comment drifted up from the dock easy and unencumbered, much like the sounds of the chime itself, “I came here on purpose.” Arching his back a bit as he stretched and shifted his weight from side to side, Kid enjoyed the sensation of the sun warming his back for a bit before continuing on, “Invite me up.”

Pulling himself to his feet, Law walked to the railing and draped his arms over the edge, considering the redhead on the dock. A smirk tugged at his lips and he tilted his head to the side as though considering the request, “I’ll consider it if you say please.”

Kid’s scoff rang loud enough for even those on somewhat distant ships to hear, “Come down here, then.” But there was still affection in his tone, a tease between the two of them that seemed to always be present. Kid knew though, that if he ended his command there, Law would just tell him to say please to that too, so he added on an additional thought for good measure, “Or I’ll just ask you t’tell me about all your grand plans right here, we can shout it out across the harbor.”

Law opened his mouth to respond and then immediately felt the fond amusement suddenly dampen. His smirk tightened and he shifted to rest his chin in his palm to mask the change in his expression until he could control it again. It was a conversation he’d known would be necessary if the two of them were to continue this relationship, but Law wasn’t looking forward to it. He’d been hoping to put it off a little while longer. “You say that as though I would be compelled to tell you. Come up here,” he added his consent for Kid to board almost as an afterthought, all teasing forgotten as he turned away from the railing.

Eyes narrowing slightly at what seemed like a strange and sudden change in Law’s demeanor, though he couldn’t place why, Kid swallowed and then shook himself, as though that would shake off the sudden sense of unease he felt. Ascending the gangplank, Kid sauntered onto the Polar Tang without seeming to have a care in the world, looking around the top deck slowly, studying it with a focused gaze - the last time he left this ship, he hadn’t much felt like taking time to look around. 

Law was aware he was on the verge of overreacting to what had been an innocent enough statement. There was nothing saying Kid even meant to have that kind of conversation and was just groping for some personal subject Law wouldn’t want anyone else to hear to goad him. By the time Kid boarded his ship, his smirk had returned and he watched the other captain approach as he leaned against the wall next to the door leading below deck. “Like what you see?”

At that, Kid’s casual shrug came off just like he meant it - nonchalant and not really impressed, “Y’know, it’s, ah… cozy.” Moving to close the gap between them, Kid placed his hands on either side of Law’s waist, boxing him in to hold him still as Kid leaned in and nosed at the spot where his neck met his shoulder, “Now you, on t’other hand…”

Law felt the smirk spread into a wide grin, tilting his head briefly to give Kid room. “You think you can insult my ship and just take whatever you want from me?” He scolded, ducking out from under Kid’s arms to head below deck. “And people say _I_ have bad manners.”

Following after Law with a grin on his face, Kid reached out and snagged one of the other man’s hips in a large palm, pulling them in close together again before he spoke. It was so fun, pushing Law’s buttons when the topic wasn’t really that incendiary, “Ships don’t sink.” That said, he flexed his fingers against the skin under his hand, wanting Law to feel every point of connection between them.

Pressing the line of his spine against Kid’s abdomen, Law tilted his head back to look up at the taller man. “That’s why ships are inferior,” the words were heavy with smug superiority, and Law allowed Kid to keep his grip onto him for a moment more before he pried himself away to continue below deck and to his cabin.

“Mouthy brat,” Kid’s mutterings were more for himself than anyone else but as he followed Law into the underbelly of the submarine his attention shifted again, focus intent on everything he could see. Whoever designed and built this thing had been smart and he wished, not for the first time, that he could dismantle it just to see how it all fit together. 

As they descended, Law could sense that the silence from his companion was not for a lack of something to say. Sparing a glance behind him, Law could see how transfixed Kid was by the inner workings of his submarine and he felt an undeserved sense of pride fill him. Law hadn’t built the Polar Tang himself, but he was still pleased that Kid seemed so intrigued by it.

As they entered Law’s cabin and raw metal gave way to properly finished interior rooms, Kid finally tore his attention away from the feat of mechanical engineering surrounding him and turned him focus back to Law, “Where did you even get this thing, anyway?’ If he possibly had a chance to meet the person who had crafted it, Kid would be a giddy man indeed.

All the work he’d put in to being able to afford the Polar Tang flashed through his mind but Law didn’t bring that piece of the puzzle up. Instead he shrugged, sitting on the edge of his bed and gesturing for Kid to make himself comfortable. “North Blue. They use these to help break up ice from underneath. I just had this one modified when I bought it.”

Helping himself to Law’s invitation without any sense of reservation, Kid threw himself down on Law’s bed and rolled onto his back, staring up at the ceiling as he let one leg dangle off the edge of the bed, bent at the knee. The fact that his other foot was still covered in his dirty boot didn’t escape his attention but it wasn’t enough to make him move, either. “It’s…” in another situation he may have sounded a little petulant about his next words, but surrounded as he was by its inner workings, Kid didn’t even try to muster anything other than his sense of awe, “really fucking cool.”

Kid’s unreserved wonder at his surroundings made it impossible for Law to prevent himself from smiling. Most of the time, Law appreciated how up front the redhead was with his impressions of things and how he was feeling in the moment. It seemed… freeing. “It is, isn’t it?” Law agreed, though he was watching Kid rather than taking in the surroundings he knew by heart.

Kid nodded in agreement, gaze dancing out the porthole for a moment before he finally sighed and wrenched his attention off the submarine and back to Law’ Shifting to come to rest slightly more on his side, Kid propped the side of his head on one hand and used the other to pull Law in closer, as always, “So,” Kid paused for a second - but only a second - hoping that the casual approach would make this whole thing easier for both of them, “tell me about your grand plans and I’ll tell you about mine.”

Law allowed himself to be pulled closer, though he remained sitting. Instead of staying on the edge of his bed, he moved so his back was propped against the headboard, legs stretched out in front of him. The forced nonchalance in Kid’s tone made Law sigh; so, this really was the conversation they were having, then. At least this one he felt ready for. “I thought you already told me yours. You’re after One Piece,” Law commented, simply pointing out the fact that it wasn’t an even trade of information. “I, on the other hand, am waiting to hear if my bid to be the next Warlord bears fruit.”

“I’m going to to be the next Ki-” in the process of correcting Law ever so slightly, Kid was halfway through his modification of Law’s words before the meat of what was said actually began to sink in. All within the span of a few seconds Kid felt himself jerk through a series of emotion - anger and a sense of betrayal, then confusion, tailed by an overwhelming burst of pain. It took all he could do to keep his vision straight and his voice somewhat level, “... What?” Stiff as a board as he lay next to Law, all Kid could do - subconsciously - was pray there was a sensible fucking reason Law would be planning for such a thing at all.

Law couldn’t help it - he was so used to losing all the good things in his life that he felt a crooked smile curling across his lips, baring his teeth in a way that seemed more malicious than amused. “If the World Government is smart, they’ll give me the status. I paid 100 hearts for it, after all.” Law knew if this topic ever came up, it would be explosive. He didn’t owe anyone an explanation, but he fully expected that Kid would leave before he could even offer one. There was a tiny, insidious part of himself that always expected this to fail. The sooner the better, he supposed, before it could hurt too badly.

“Why?” voice far more clipped this time, Kid held himself still from sheer force of will. While two thirds of him wanted to snap Law in half like a twig, there was part of him that kept incessantly whispering _there’s a reason, there’s a reason, there’s a reason._ While he despised the Warlords on principal, he tried to remind himself that he begrudgingly respected Boa Hancock, at least. He was starting to lose his grip on those two thoughts, but for now he was giving Law an opening.

Law shrugged, playing at nonchalance in spite of the buzzing sensation he could feel just below the surface of his skin. “It will make things easier for me.” Having the Marines off his back and using the status as an excuse to get closer to Doffy would be paramount. The fewer enemies he had, the more he could focus on the one target that mattered.

When Kid moved, it was to fist his hands in the sheets so tight his knuckles turned white. He could feel himself edging closer and closer to blind anger but what he’d started to build with Law had been so good the thought of just giving it up seemed… awful. But the other man wasn’t being very helpful with the whole situation and Kid wasn’t sure how much more patience he could muster. “For _what_?” he was so on edge the words were brittle and harsh, proof of how close he was to breaking. 

Law found himself impressed at how well Kid was doing at holding himself back when he’d been so certain the other man would snap immediately. Had he been anyone else, it’s likely that he would have. Seeing that Kid was holding himself under control, and knowing what that meant, Law felt himself deflate somewhat. “...so I can get close to DonQuixote. He’s a notoriously difficult man to get near. He’s got spies everywhere, and he’s well-guarded.” 

Whatever he’d been expecting, that wasn’t it. It had been strange enough, when they’d first started sharing about themselves, that Law had said he wasn’t after the same things as Kid. Kid had speculated since then on what else Law could be looking for, of course he had, but at no point had the Warlord DonQuixote Doflamingo entered the equation in his mind. 

Quick as a flash, the anger dominating him dissolved into confusion. It was now that he moved, leveraging himself upright so he could look Law in the face. This was delicate, this moment between them, and things were fragile - Kid wanted to know he was getting the whole truth in spite of that, “Why?”

Keeping his expression neutral, Law met Kid’s gaze. That buzzing feeling beneath his skin was strange, making his muscles jump and twitch like he was shivering even though it was far too warm for that. The magnitude of this conversation had not escaped him since it started and the very fact that Kid was still here, still trying to understand him, spoke volumes and Law felt oddly raw and vulnerable under the other man’s gaze. “To depose him, of course.” Though killing the man would have been easier, and he wouldn’t avoid it if it came down to that, in the end Cora-san hadn’t been out for Doffy’s blood. If he truly intended to carry out his wishes, Law knew he couldn’t make killing the elder DonQuixote his end goal. 

Kid blinked at that, one, two, three times and then suddenly burst into laughter so loud it startled both of them. “Fuck,” as he spoke it was with a sense of wonder, or perhaps even pride, “that’s metal as fuck. Tryin’t take down one of those government dogs from the inside…” Almost at once his posture relaxed and the lines in his face eased; who couldn’t respect a little subterfuge now and then? It felt like he could breathe again, all the sudden, the sensation of Law as a betrayer gone just as quickly at it had come. 

With the build up of tension between them gone like a candle that’d been snuffed out, Law realized he’d been holding his breath. This thing between them, he’d always assumed it was borne of convenience and that as soon as things became complicated or difficult it wouldn’t make sense for them to continue. He expected this would be one of those times, but Kid’s easy acceptance of his motives made him feel strangely hollow. Law found himself unsure of what to say, like he couldn’t quite believe that was all there was to Kid’s response. “...so I have your support, then?”

Likely that was true, but Kid had a few lingering questions he’d like to see cleared up. “... Why DonQuixote?” he knew the question was likely the one that Law would truly balk at answering, even more so than the initial inquiry into his goals. To go through all the effort to become a Warlord just to go after the man on principle made no sense - Kid knew there had to be something more between them. The question was whether or not Law would share what that something was.

True to Kid’s prediction, Law tensed. To answer that question meant revealing more of his past. But he clearly had Kid’s trust and Law trusted him in kind. It was only after a brief pause that he released the breath he’d been holding, tipping his head back to look up at the ceiling, “...I’m trying to finish something someone important to me started.”

It didn’t take much, really, to put two and two together. Kid took a breath and held it at the top for a moment, trying to figure out the gentlest way to word his next question before settling on, “He the reason for those fires?” Trying to be as delicate as he was capable of, Kid did his best to balance his desire to know things with Law’s right to his own history - it was only fair, after all, because Kid knew at some point this conversation would likely happen again, except this time it would be him on the raw, painful end of it. 

Snorting, Law crossed his arms. “...just one of them.” The more Law thought about it, the more he realized his initial reactions were done out of habit. He actually… didn’t hate the idea of sharing more about himself with Kid. The level of trust that spoke to was more than he wanted to process right now. 

At that Kid scoffed, but it wasn’t meant to be derisive, “One’s enough.” He had other questions, of course - which one, what happened, why? But he could sense when enough was enough and to be honest, Law had just shared a whole hell of a lot with him. Bracing his back against the wall, Kid reached out and tugged Law away from the headboard, arranging them so the smaller man was tucked in the crook of Kid’s right arm and resting his head on the redhead’s shoulder, “... glad y’told me. I’d’a been pissed if I heard it on the news.”

The sudden physical affection had Law tense again, but it didn’t last long. The fact that Kid hadn’t pushed for more put him at ease and he closed his eyes. Normally, Law would have balked at being held after sharing something like that, but he didn’t get any sense of pity from the redhead. Just… understanding. Given what he knew, or what he could guess, about Kid’s past, Law didn’t doubt that’s what it was, “...yeah.”

Fingers idly stroking at the sliver of skin exposed at Law’s hip, Kid let them lapse into silence for a while. Things seemed… okay, but it all still felt a little tenuous. He almost felt obligated to share something of his own, but the question of what that something should be was not easily answered. The things he hadn’t shared yet were all the things that felt the hardest to share - the truth about Kat, a few of the key details about what his parents had done, Yara’s very existence, all things that made him feel brittle. Things that felt dangerous to share. 

“I suppose this means we’ll be going our separate ways soon,” Law observed. They had different goals, in the end. Law’s was as likely to kill him as it was to succeed and he’d made his peace with that a long time ago. Though the same could be said for Kid and somehow, the very thought curdled his stomach. 

“Does it?” Kid inquired then, the question a genuine one. Sure, he and his men would be running forays, but he planned on using that cavern as their home base for the foreseeable future. Sure, Law would eventually move on to actually pursue DonQuixote, but he couldn’t see that happening for a while, “You gonna get handed the title tomorrow?”

“Soon doesn’t mean this week, Kid. It could be three months from now, and in the grand scheme of things I would still consider that ‘soon’.” Law was ready to move on to the final stages of his plan. He was excited for it, even. But somehow, impossibly, Kid had come to matter almost as much as completing a goal he’d been working toward for thirteen years. Three months, three years… none of it felt long enough. It was troubling, to say the least.

While he’d accepted that there were some questions - the really important ones - that he wasn’t going to get to ask toady, there were others he could still poke at, ones that were safer and less likely to elicit a protective response. And he wasn’t ready, yet, to talk about parting ways, “You takin’ him on all by yourself? That sounds like a suicide mission.”

“You don’t think I could?” Law countered smoothly, grateful to fall back into their easy banter. “I have fail safes in place and contingencies for everything. If anyone can pull it off, it’s me,” the words might have sounded cocky coming from anyone else, but from Law they were almost bitter, grim in his certainty that even if Doflamingo was suspicious of him and his motives, the other man would let him in nonetheless. 

Unruffled, Kid’s response came smooth, “That’s not what I asked.” Reaching out with his free hand, Kid found one of Law’s and absently tangled their fingers together as he spoke, “Is it? A suicide mission?” While it felt like - and was - a heavy question, for some reason it seemed easier to ask than any of the others swirling through his head.

Law felt himself laugh in response to the implication. It was, probably, but he didn’t want it to be. It wasn’t like he, himself, was suicidal, “Not intentionally.” He wouldn’t pretend that what he was after wasn’t risky, but neither did he want to address the reason Kid felt it necessary to ask in the first place.

“But you’re going without your crew?” he wasn’t sure, but the way Law had been answering his questions led Kid to believe that was the case. If that were true, it pretty much meant that Law fully expected he wouldn’t walk away at the end and wanted to spare his men the same fate - it was probably the only reason a pirate captain would ever walk away from his crew.

His answer didn’t come right away. Law needed a moment to think back through his words to determine what he could have possibly said to give that away. Not even Penguin had picked up on that thus far, and his first mate was usually the most perceptive of his crew. “...what makes you think that?”

“You’re not gonna take your crew in if you figure you’re gonna die in the process,” Kid answered that easily enough. It was exactly what he would have done, in the same situation. Beyond anything else, the duty of a captain was to care for his crew. His men had signed on to fight and, yes, potentially die for them. But it was the captain’s responsibility to keep the likelihood of that as low as possible. “And,” he added then, as something of an afterthought, “he didn’t wrong your crew. Just you. So you’re not gonna drag them in.”

“...Very perceptive.” It would do no good to lie to Kid, not when he’d hit the nail on the head, so to speak, “To be honest, a lot of my plans are uncertain. I don’t know for sure I’ll be the next Warlord, and if that doesn’t work out there may be other options. But ultimately… the fewer people I take with me, the better.”

Kid could - and did - respect that. Nodding in understanding, he lifted their intertwined hands to his lips so he could press a string of kisses across the back of Law’s knuckles before he spoke. “Small and stupid,” he commented, lips still brushing across Law’s skin, “but you’re gonna do it anyway. Just like me.”

Snorting, both at his words and the sudden gentle affection, Law watched Kid as his lips made their way over the letters tattooed into his skin. He was really at a loss for what to say. So little time had passed since he’d met up with the other captain and already he’d felt more emotion than he had in the past year, or so it seemed. In spite of the little nap he’d taken earlier, Law was freshly exhausted. “...I have to.”

Kid’s response to that came without conscious thought, without any hidden agenda, without anything except a deep need to understand - to know - Law more than he did, “Hope someday you’ll tell me why.” But that was enough for now, he thought. Shifting them both he tugged Law into his lap, knees spread over Kid’s hips so they were facing one another, and spread his hand out over Law’s upper chest, tracing his thumb along the line of one sharp collarbone. 

There was just such tacit understanding between them that Law couldn’t find it within him to fault Kid for saying what he did. He took what Law was willing to give and nothing more, and all without a shred of pity. It was… touching, actually, to feel like someone cared about him without the undercurrent of feeling sorry for Law he always felt came whenever his past was brought up. When Kid moved him, Law made himself pliable, leaning back to press his palms against Kid’s knees for balance, just letting the other man touch him as he pleased.

The stretch of time that followed was devoid of words, but it was a rich tapestry of sounds that filled the cabin nonetheless. The soft brush of skin on skin, more than one lengthy and in depth make out session, the occasional bout of unrestrained laughter, and perhaps most importantly the light ting of metal on metal as their rings met when their fingers linked together, as though it was the most natural thing in the world. 

Kid was confident he had enough to take back to Killer to sate his appetite for knowledge. It was as much as he was going to push Law for today anyway, at any rate, and his second was going to have to be good with that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Spring, friends! It seems it may have finally stopped raining here, though we will test that theory over the next few days I suppose. We hope you are all having a wonderful April!
> 
> We have an insta now, for updates and random things! It's Middlefingers.in.the.air if you're interested. 
> 
> Also, the next chapter is likely to be delayed by a week. We're going to visit some friends of ours out of state over the weekend to celebrate Em's 30th birthday, so writing time will be nonexistent until next week, we're sorry! Thank you for bearing with us.
> 
> For those of you who follow our instagram, you've already seen this lovely art by [Akimao.](https://akimao.tumblr.com/post/184623224016/small-and-stupid-he-commented-lips-still) I love how soft the lighting is, it really captures how sweet the moment was between the two of them. <3


	25. *Territorial Waters

The sun was hanging heavy in the sky just above the horizon when Kid met up with Killer and Yara. They had docked their longboat on a different dock than the one Law was anchored at, more by luck than by design. Killer was more at ease knowing it was unlikely for them to be spotted by a member of the Heart Pirates as they climbed aboard, the bags of new clothes Yara had picked out taking up substantial space in the center. 

The boat bobbed in the water as Yara threw herself out of it upon seeing her brother approach, dancing around him as she excitedly showed off her new clothes; leather boots and soft suede breeches, a flowing white tunic tucked in to the waistband with a deep blue vest over top of it. No doubt he’d spoiled her with the quality of the items, but she’d been so pleased to be dressed more like an adult Killer couldn’t find a good enough reason to deny her. 

“Look, Kid! They’re real leather, like yours!!” Yara shoved her leg out and nearly tripped Kid up in the process, not that she noticed or cared.

Kid didn’t even bother to try suppress his laugh as he danced around Yara in an effort not to wind up flat on his ass. Finally able to get his hands on her, Kid scooped her up and held her under the armpits while he looked her up and down - it was one of the only ways he could get her to hold still. After studying her new outfit for a moment he grinned, nodding his agreement, “You look like a warrior!”

“Killer got me a knife, too!” They’d been talking about giving Yara proper training with a weapon small enough for her to wield. Until now, they’d put it off because there hadn’t been enough time to devote to such training when being hasty could end up injuring her. Killer rationalized that now, when they were mostly stationary, was the best time to begin.

“Show me once we’re back,” Kid came to the same conclusion as Killer easily enough - this was the best time to start training her and the sooner she was able to defend herself even a little, the better Kid would feel. Shifting to hold her in his arms, Kid tucked Yara into the crook of his elbow before he boarded their longboat with her in tow, settling in across from Killer. It was with a slight nod that he did his best to express that he’d gotten the information his second had been after. 

Once they were safely balanced in the boat, Yara wriggled out of her brother’s grasp and pulled the sleeve of a large fur coat similar to Kid’s own from where it was carefully wrapped. “I picked this out for Killer. He’s gonna show you when we get back. You can match now, too!” Her excitement had not ebbed, but there was a clear glint of something devious in her expression now. Kid and Killer had distinctly different styles, and she knew it. 

At that, Kid’s laughter was so loud it filled the harbor. She was his little sister through and through and at times like this, when it was so obvious it hurt, the swell of pride it engendered in him was almost overwhelming. “Sounds great, kiddo. Y’have him try it on already?” The joy radiating off Kid right now was palpable - his sister was happy, things with Law made sense, and he and his crew knew their next steps. What more could a captain ask for?

“Nope! It’ll be a surprise for both of you!” She was beaming so widely Killer found himself smiling behind his mask. He didn’t mind that she’d apparently decided on this type of elaborate scheme to embarrass him. Maybe Kid’s sense of style wasn’t his own but he was certainly not intimidated by a fur coat. 

“Oh, oh, and!” Yara spun dramatically and sat down, facing Kid as he worked the oars to guide them back to the neighboring island. “I saw a polar bear in the market today!! And he was walking like a person and wearing clothes and everything!!”

Almost instantaneously, those words sent a flood of panic through him, though he caught it just in the nick of time and managed to stop it showing on his face. Stupid, stupid, stupid, of course Law’s crew were going to be out and about on this island, just like his own would be from time to time. It would have been easy enough to keep Yara hidden from him at their cave or on the Black Rose, but here, in town, Killer was just as obvious as he was and either of them being seen with a little girl would raise questions he didn’t want to answer yet. 

“Did you?” doing his best to keep his voice level, Kid managed a smile for her before shooting Killer a look that he hoped conveyed the question of if they were seen in return. To keep her talking and distracted from their silent conversation, Kid kept his actual one up with her, “Crazy shit happens in the Grand Line, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah! He was far away, though. Killer was taking me to get lunch and he was walking the other way, but it was really cool. Maybe we’ll get to meet him one day. I wonder if he can talk, too!” Excited as she was, she hadn’t caught on to the silence conversation between Kid and Killer. Killer simply shrugged in response, his casual demeanor expressing everything his captain needed to know.

“Yeah, maybe…” not wanting to ruin her good mood with a lecture on the danger of strangers, Kid chose to let it go for now and scooped her back into his lap, tugging on her braids lightly before continuing on, “anyway, tell me about everything else you got.” Hoping the distraction of her treasure would be enough to change the topic, Kid settled in for the trip as he continued to pull them back toward their base.

Yara kept the rest of their purchases a secret, insisting on revealing them once they got back. Showing Kid turned into showing the rest of the crew, and they’d all had their dinner carefully perched on the edge of the table while she used the center as a catwalk to show off everything she’d gotten.

It only escalated to such a degree at Grudge and Wrench’s insistence that it would be good dinner entertainment, and the rest of the crew quickly fell in line, cheering as she showed off each new item that’d been purchased. They were all particularly rowdy as she showed off the knife she hadn’t let leave her side, a symphony of pride bouncing off the stone walls. 

It wasn’t until hours later, after Yara had fallen asleep, that Kid and Killer had a chance to speak more openly about their silent conversation from earlier. “Don’t worry about Bepo. I saw him coming before she did and turned us around. They didn’t see her.”

“Fuck…” the way he said it was more a sigh of relief and an acknowledgement that they’d gotten lucky at the same time. While the thought had been nagging at the back of his mind for weeks now, Kid was finally going to have to confront the question of when - if - it was right for Law to even know about Yara, much less meet her. While he trusted Law and understood where he was headed, and while their stated goals didn’t contradict, it still required an enormous leap of faith to tell anyone, much less a fellow member of the Worst Generation, about his sister. 

“Didn’t learn enough to make it safe to tell him about her, then?” Killer was perhaps being a bit ruthless about this particular point, but one didn’t earn his name without being so from time to time. He couldn’t help but see this whole alliance as fruitless if they couldn’t even trust the other captain with knowledge of their most protected member.

The look on Kid’s face went from frown to scowl in a millisecond, the fingers of his right hand curling into a very rude gesture, “I didn’t fuckin’ say that.” Asshole could at least let him lay out what he did learn, give him a chance to lay out his thoughts, before he started jumping down his throat again. 

“Y’didn’t fuckin’ have to. Looked like you were about to piss yourself when she mentioned seeing his crew,” In direct contrast to his words, Killer’s tone held no heat. It was more an invitation for Kid to elaborate than an admonishment.

Crossing his arms somewhat defensively, Kid did his best to force his hackles down before they got into a stupid fight. He was happy that Killer was so dead set on protecting Yara, he had to be, that’s what she needed and deserved. Sighing out somewhat aggressively, Kid waited until he had a solid grip on himself before speaking, “I’d like t’tell him before his bear does, that okay with you?”

Killer let his silence speak for him; that much went without saying. What he really wanted to know was what Kid had learned. He fully expected that Trafalgar had shared all he knew of Kid with his own crew - and considering that he’d tailed them to the rescue at Rocky Port, “all he knew” was substantial in comparison to the nothing they knew about the him. He wanted some way to be put at ease about this whole situation.

Sighing softly, Kid finally loosened up and ran a hand through his hair, as he often did when he was working through things in his head. That done he rocked his head back and forth on his neck a few time, stretching the muscles there out a few times before the thoughts he had finally arranged themselves into sensible words, “He’s out for revenge. Against DonQuixote. Bastard killed someone close to him.”

The explanation seemed sound enough on the surface, but Killer was suspicious as a rule. “So he built up this entire crew and reputation just for that? What’s he gonna do once he’s gotten what he’s after?” Killer was the closest to a strategist the crew had, and finding the answers to these sorts of questions was important for long term planning. 

The unconcerned shrug Kid gave was so big, it could have caused waves. He hadn’t asked, specifically, but telling Killer that would only add fuel to the fire. What he did have at his disposal, it turns out, is having lived through a similar situation. He felt like Law’s goals didn’t need any further explanation. “Anyway,” as he spoke this time Kid’s voice dropped, as it always did when he was doing his best to dance around an uncomfortable subject and make his point without having to be overt about it, “Didn’t know what I was gonna do after, either.”

There was little point in going round and round in circles with Kid. Killer didn’t want to waste the energy on it. He sighed and relaxed, clearly expressing his defeat. “Look. I just want to know if this is just going to be the two of you fucking around or if this is going to be more like an alliance. I’ll be able to plan better than way. So once you get that figured out, let me know, yeah?”

Scoffing at that, Kid narrowed his eyes slightly in Killer’s direction, “Then you should’a asked that.” One thing that Kid had little patience for was people failing to get to the point of things, or asking roundabout questions, or making obtuse references - he much preferred the simplicity of brutal honesty. He’d let Killer get away with it more than most, but it didn’t mean he escaped Kid’s pointed tongue before he answered the true question, “An alliance.”

Killer wasn’t going to argue that Kid’s well-being was just as important to him as the planning that would go into preparing for an alliance; he was clearly not in the mood to hear that. “What’s that gonna look like? We gonna help him with this thing with DonQuixote?” 

“The Kid Pirates?” The reaction Kid had was somewhat indescribable, a mixture of wrinkled nose and a noncommittal shoulder shrug, “No.” If there was one thing Kid knew, it was that he wouldn’t be getting his men tangled up in something like that unless it was a decision he had made to further their own goals. 

The silence that stretched between them dragged on longer than was normal. Killer’s eyes were fixed to his captain’s face through the holes in his helmet and when there was nothing offered as clarification, he felt his lips curl. “You might as well admit outright that you plan on going with him and leaving us behind.”

The umbrage that Kid took to that statement showed up immediately and with fervor, “I didn’t fucking say that!” Narrowing his eyes, Kid curled one hand in and out of a fist as he responded, “It’s not like I’m some idiot girl in love or something, I’m not gonna do stupid shit.” Something about the argument felt a little hollow to his ears, though Kid couldn’t decide what that was or why. Not that it mattered, as long as Killer didn’t realize it.

“‘The Kid Pirates’ won’t get involved. Weird way to say you don’t plan on getting involved personally. I get how it could be strategic, helping him with his goal to ensure he’ll be helpful when it comes time that we’ll need him, but it doesn’t even sound like you know what you want long term. Figure it out.” Killer couldn’t pinpoint in the moment why he was so keyed up. There was something deeper still, something lingering just out of reach and honestly? 

That scared the hell out of him. 

At this point, Kid was done with the conversation. He was feeling itchy all over and part of him wanted to throttle Killer, though he couldn’t decide if it was because he was nagging him or because he was right and Kid didn’t want to face it. What did he want? To enjoy his time with Law. Wake up next to him more often. Talk to him about things that matter and things that don’t. But he wanted to do all those things will Killer too, so what did it matter? Pushing himself back from the table abruptly, Kid raised his upper lip in Killer’s direction before turning to follow Yara back toward the sleeping nooks. Killer could spend tonight by himself for all he cared. 

\--

After the near-miss in the city center with Yara and Bepo, the rest of the Kid Pirates - following Killer’s example - kept short-range transponder snails on them in case of another close call and kept a sharp eye out for any of the Heart Pirates that may be around while Yara was on the mainland. Fortunately, that didn’t happen very often as Killer had taken to leading the crew for supplies when they were needed to give Yara and Kid bonding time. 

Though Kid’s anger usually burned hot and fast and Killer almost never held grudges against anyone on the crew, the two of them still had trouble seeing eye to eye since their initial argument. For Killer’s part, it was mostly because of the uncertainty. He didn’t know what it was Kid really wanted anymore. The jealousy he felt wasn’t insignificant either and that was making things even more complicated, but that was a feeling Killer was more than happy to try to ignore. He was kept mostly busy with following up on leads for the poneglyphs and keeping an eye on Shank’s movements. 

A few days later, Killer found himself taking a walk down the beach to clear his head. When he rounded a slight bend and looked up from the surf at his feet, the blonde almost growled at the familiar spotted white hat and black and yellow hoodie that greeted him further down the sand. Scrawny little bastard…

While Killer’s initial instinct was to cross his arms he held it at bay for now, doing his best to remind himself that the last time he’d interacted with Trafalgar, it had been on fairly decent terms. But that didn’t mean there weren’t words worth exchanging. Though he did angle himself to reach the other captain in the straightest trajectory possible, Killer didn’t speed up or rush - part of him wanted Law to turn around, notice him coming, and be at least the littlest bit intimidated by it. 

The sound of other footsteps in the sand was unmistakable. But Law wasn’t concerned; it was a public beach and if it was someone who wanted his attention he assumed they would call out to him. He kept enough of his focus on whoever it was approaching that he couldn’t be caught up in something unpleasant but otherwise kept up his slow, steady gait, Kikoku balanced over his right shoulder. A tiny part that would have repulsed him months ago had he recognized it hoped it might be Kid, trying to sneak up on him. 

Killer wasn’t trying to sneak, nor was he an idiot lover here for a romp. Continuing his purposeful gait, the blonde made his way to Trafalgar easily enough, waiting until he was only about five feet behind before speaking, “Turn around.” While it wasn’t phrased as a request, Killer was careful to keep his tone neutral enough that the captain across from him wouldn’t take it like he was being ordered around by the underling of a rival.

Rather than turning around, Law simply stopped. He rolled his shoulders back with a sigh, glancing at Killer over his shoulder. “A ‘please’ wouldn’t hurt,” he replied slyly, vaguely amused at the circumstance. Regardless of the relative peace and growing friendships between their two crews, Law was well aware that the taller blond was still leery of him, so the fact that he’d go out of his way to interact was intriguing.

“I’m going to say it,” while Killer wasn’t trying to be rude, necessarily, he wasn’t here for pleasant conversation. He had questions that needed answers and he had no interest in Trafalgar that the other man could use to distract him - a leg up on his own captain, to be sure. That said and feeling fairly confident that Trafalgar understood this wasn’t for fun, Killer continued on, “You can give me more details than you gave Kid, or I’ll keep trying to show him why you’re nothing but dangerous.”

“Hah.” Though Killer’s words immediately raised Law’s guard, he didn’t dismiss the other man, still maintaining his initial intrigue at his presence. He did turn to face Killer now, planting Kikoku in the sand and leaning on it casually. The more guarded he acted, the more questions Killer would ask; Law had learned that lesson a long time ago so he kept himself as open as he could. “What details are you after you think he doesn’t already know?”

Feeling no need to avoid sharing what Kid had told him, Killer kept his eyes on Trafalgar through the holes in his helmet, brows drawn in tight even if the other man didn’t have the benefit of seeing them, “It’s too easy. DonQuixote killed somebody close to you, so you’re gonna go after him. Tidy story. Where’s the rest of it?”

Law had expected that Kid shared what he knew of his past with his first mate, but the confirmation still stung. He hid the feeling by grinning wider. “Do you always over-complicate things? Some stories are exactly as they seem.” In this, Law was not lying. There was little else to add; that he had once been part of the Warlord’s crew was not important to this story, nor was it a detail that changed anything and it had nothing to do with the aspects of his past he was unwilling to share.

“What about after?” continuing on with his pointed line of questioning, Killer didn’t even bother to feign concern that Trafalgar may not want to answer. At this point the man was an unknown and even if the crews had shared a decent party and certain members had begun to make friends across the bay, it didn’t mean that Trafalgar wasn’t trying to use Kid to further his own goals. 

“I haven’t had the free time to plan that far ahead. If there is an after, I’ll figure it out based on whatever options I’m left with.” To be honest, it was impossible to know what sort of state the impending battle would leave him in. In a perfect world, Law would find a way to bring Doffy down without the need for a physical altercation. He wasn’t stupid enough to believe that could actually happen though; for as precise and carefully laid his plans were, Doffy was sure to be always one step ahead of him. Given the vast array of outcomes, Law just didn’t have the energy to spend trying to sort out what to do with whatever pieces he may have when all was said and done.

“Riiiight,” Killer drew the word out just enough to show he wasn’t exactly pleased at the answer. Deciding to attack things from a different angle, Killer shrugged as though he had decided he didn’t care that much anymore before throwing an entirely different question Trafalgar’s way, “Where are you from?” It still bothered him that - no matter how hard he tried - he couldn’t fucking find anything from before Trafalgar had become a Supernova. 

Eyes narrowing, Law felt his facade crack just slightly. It was a touchy subject for a lot of people, so it didn’t seem important to try and cover up. Chewing on his tongue, he bit back the obvious lie. Kid had mentioned Killer being uncomfortable by the fact he’d found nothing when doing his own research into Law past, so instead of answering he changed directions. “It bothers you that you weren’t able to dig anything up about me, doesn’t it? Nosy, aren’t you?”

Well, good to see they were getting right to the point, “Yeah. And you’re not helping now, either.” Like a dog with a bone, Killer could be persistent when he’d sunk his teeth into something and this was too good an opportunity to pass up, “Answer the question.” Killer already knew that Trafalgar wouldn’t, but that was kind of the point.

“Why does it bother you so much?” Patently ignoring the insistence that he answer the question, Law decided to press his own buttons. “Do you worry you won’t be able to protect your crew and your captain unless you know all there is to know about me? You’re too competent for that, Killer.”

Refusing to let himself rise to the bait, Killer responded with the truth as he saw it, “I can’t do shit to stop you from breaking his heart.” Protecting the crew was one thing - if it came to a physical altercation, Killer wasn’t afraid to go at it with the man across from him. What he was afraid of - and what he thought could legitimately happen - was that Kid would let himself get too attached and have it all torn away from him. His best friend would survive, of that he was certain, but Killer wasn’t sure he’d like how it would change him. 

“And you think knowing where I’m from will somehow help with that?” A few months ago, Law would have sneered at the sentiment but now he couldn’t find it in him to react with such scorn. It should worry him that Kid’s heart being on the line - and not in a literal sense - was even being discussed at all, but that worry, too, had quieted into a whisper. 

“What I know is things ain’t even between you,” doing his best to avoid being snide, Killer focused on breathing and reminding himself that starting a physical fight - while likely to relieve his stress - wouldn’t actually get him any answers. Knowing he could press until he was blue in the face and Trafalgar wouldn’t answer his original question, Killer pushed forward in the conversation, “For everything you know about him, he know something back about you?”

The idea that Killer would try and meddle in such personal aspects of his relationship with Kid - and what they did and didn’t know about each other - was starting to grate on Law’s nerves. “Regardless of what I’ve been able to find for myself, he hasn’t actually _told_ me anything. I don’t see why I need to give up every scrap of my privacy when the information I may or may not know about him is public record.”

Well. If Trafalgar had at any point hoped to at least turn Killer’s opinion of him neutral, he’d just ruined what was likely to be the only opportunity. Fact of the matter was, he’d done research on Kid himself, a couple years back when their names started getting big. He’d wanted to know what the average person could find out about the redhead so he could be prepared in the event that something miserable ever got thrown their way. He had a collection of newspaper articles stashed in his cabin, most old and faded, among them one that pretty clearly laid out what had happened to Kid as a child if you were even the remotest bit clever enough to read between the lines. 

“What you ‘may or may not know,’” this time, as he spoke, the mimicry was obvious, Killer’s words condescending, “means you can’t even do him the fucking courtesy of a little honesty? You think it’s funny you don’t have a paper trail? I think it’s fucking lucky - all your damn dirty laundry ain’t out for the shit stains of the world to read about. Fuck you for tryin’ to get high and mighty about that.”

It took almost everything in him not to laugh aloud in bitter mockery at Killer’s words; Law didn’t have a paper trail because nothing was left of his home but ash, and yet the world still knew the fate of Flevance. “I have been nothing but honest with him and frankly, you don’t know what we know about each other. You don’t know if he knows where I’m from and has the decency to keep our private conversations private. You don’t know a damn thing. And keep your opinions about my luck to yourself.”

“If he knew where you were from and didn’t wanna tell me the details, he woulda said so,” Killer had no problem arguing with Trafalgar on this point. Like hell Kid - his Kid, his captain, his brother, his fucking family - would hide anything from him. Sure, they might get into a few verbal rows from time to time, but at the very least Kid would keep him in the loop to what he knew, even if he didn’t actually share the details of it. If Killer knew that Kid had the details, he wouldn’t press him to share them, not really. “Don’t give me orders,” this time, Killer did his best to ensure his words were dripping with as much hostility as possible, “you’re not my captain.” 

“And you’re not even _a_ captain, but you think you can give me orders? Nosy and a hypocrite,” Law sniped back, pulling his sword from the sand as a physical marker that the conversation, such as it was, had ended. “Perhaps Kid simply isn’t intimidated by me and that’s why he hasn’t thought to ask. Maybe you should take his lead, though I remain flattered that you think I’m such a threat.” 

Law would hear about this later, he was sure - Killer was important to Kid and the wider the rift between himself and the blond the more difficulties he was likely to experience with the other captain - but right now he felt justified in his response as he turned his back to the other man and continued his path down the beach. It was Kid he owed answers to, after all; not his guard dog.

On the heels of a very similar conversation with Kid, there was a not insignificant part of Law that was worried the redhead had sent his first mate to gather more information, having been dissatisfied with what he’d learned on his own. Anyone poking into his private life was unwelcome no matter who it was, so Law felt like they were more than even after what he’d already shared given how little he liked talking about it.

The scrawny prick couldn’t even be bothered to treat this conversation like there was any merit to it and that probably bothered Killer the most. While it was likely true that Trafalgar hadn’t actually been able to inspire his crew to truly care about him the way Kid’s men cared about Kid, that didn’t mean he should have been so stupid not to recognize the importance of at least pretending to try and make some sort of peace with Kid’s second. At this point his distrust for the other man ran so deep it was starting to turn toward outright hate. Turning on his heel to return to his base as well, Killer made a promise to himself that he would do whatever necessary to build a wall between Trafalgar Law and the large, excitable, easily prone to fits of emotion, bright, bold, loyal, and heartrendingly soft (in the most surprising of ways) man he considered his leader, his brother, and his friend. 

In the time it took for Killer to return to their base, his sour mood had curdled. Kid refused to recognize Trafalgar as the threat he was, and Trafalgar refused to see anyone other than himself as being of value. And sure, fine, there was jealousy too; jealousy that Kid would choose to spend so much time with someone as irreverent and fickle as Trafalgar Law. If the little bastard couldn’t recognize Killer as someone worthy of the smallest modicum of respect if only because of his importance to the man he’d been pulling into an alliance - an alliance that increasingly seemed to benefit only the Heart Pirates - then how the hell could he be trusted to treat Yara differently?

In Killer’s mind, this resistance to forging any sort of meaningful relationship with any of Kid’s crew outside of the captain himself was solid proof that Trafalgar had no intentions of a mutually beneficial anything with Kid. Successful alliances hinged on the crew’s ability to trust not only their fellow crew mates, but especially the level of trust for the second captain. Trafalgar was not only doing nothing to gain that trust, but was actively spurning Killer’s attempts to build it.

He must have been walking with purpose because no one in the common room approached or even greeted him, not that Killer was in the mindset to acknowledge them if they did. Fortunately when he finally located his captain, the redhead was alone in the alcove he’d claimed for himself, rearranging the furniture to fit a second small wooden table at the head of his bed. 

Regardless of the fact that they’d been at odds recently, Killer didn’t hesitate to go to Kid with this. It would be a sore point between them until Trafalgar proved himself worthy or, more likely, proved to Kid he wasn’t worth a passing glance. “I don’t think Trafalgar respects you, or any of us, Kid. He’s got his own damn agenda and he’s not concerned about anything or anyone else. He ain’t worth a passing glance, let alone all this effort you’ve put in. And I’m sorry, but I’m not gonna spare your feelings and let him walk all over you. I think he’s using you, and I know you’ve got it in your head that you two’ve got something but I don’t see how it’s possible, at least not on his end.”

Ending his sudden rant with a gulp of air, Killer straightened and waited for Kid to respond. It was out of the blue, maybe, but Killer always avoided telling Kid what to do outright. But after that sham of a conversation with Trafalgar on the beach he was ready to tell his friend to just end it.

While Kid had heard Killer approaching, he was so unprepared for the vitriol that started spilling from his second’s lips that he banged his head off the side of his bed in process of straightening up from where he’d been rather meticulously trying to place his new furniture. Groaning a little at the pain, though he couldn’t decide if it was the knock or the yelling that was making his head hurt, Kid blinked a few times in Killer’s direction as he tried to keep up with everything being thrown his way. 

While he’d still been disgruntled with Killer, this whole display was completely unexpected. He knew there had to have been a trigger. When Killer finally paused long enough for Kid to process the general gist of his words, the redhead rubbed at the side of his head for a moment before settling on asking the most simple question at hand, “... what happened?” 

Killer was not the type to go running to his captain and snitch on someone who had bothered him. He was much more the type to handle the issue on his own, except this time he couldn’t; taking Trafalgar’s head off probably would have upset Kid. If he wasn’t so sure Trafalgar was setting his brother up, Killer wouldn’t have said anything at all. “Ran into him on the beach. If we’re going to have an alliance, I have to trust him on my own. The whole crew does. He’s an evasive little fuck who can’t answer the most basic questions and I really don’t see how he’s managed to worm his way in so close to you.”

The urge Kid had to run his hand over his face was so immediate and so forceful that he made his headache worse trying to avoid doing it. What he couldn’t stop from escaping, however, was another groan. For all that he wanted to continue arguing with Killer, he could see by the passion and fervor in his voice that something was different this time and as he tried to work his way through what that meant, Kid sank down onto the edge of his bed, “More details.”

“Details don’t matter. I tried to have an honest conversation with him, and he was a dismissive prick. If he cared about having an alliance, he would make an effort with the rest of the crew, not just you.” Killer couldn’t think of a way to explain their conversation in more depth without sounding like a whiny bitch. The core of the issue wasn’t that Law was an asshole to him; it was what his lack of willingness to forge bonds meant.

Rolling his head around on his neck, Kid sighed and scrubbed at his temples. “Come on, Killian.” Keeping his voice down as he looked up at his best friend, Kid’s face showed it all - the worry, the longing, the difficulty of the conversation. Somehow this felt more personal than anything else the blond knew about him and having him so adamant against what he was building with Law hurt more than he could put words to, “That’s…. He’s like that.” It sounded hollow, even to Kid’s ears, his tone echoing a sound of defeat. He knew that Kill knew Law was like that - clearly this meant something else had happened, beyond that. 

Killer wasn’t used to Kid defending someone else like this, someone not even part of their crew. It made ugly jealousy thrash in his sternum like it was a living thing, ire rising up like bile. “That’s bullshit. He’s like that? So fucking what, he just gets to be _like that_ so you have to do all the work and make all the sacrifices? That ain’t how this shit’s supposed to work.”

“That’s not how it is,” shaking his head a little bit, Kid felt any urge he had to fight slipping further and further away with each passing minute. In the face of Kill’s anger, things were different. Before now it was all just distrust, or a sense of uncertainty. But this spoke of something deeper and he felt like he didn’t have the words to respond.

“Then how is it?! You’re evasive as fuck whenever I try to understand, and he’s worse! Since when do you trust him more than me? And if that’s not how it is, why is it that you don’t listen when I tell you he’s just jerking you around!?” If he wasn’t so angry, Killer would wonder why Kid seemed so strangely defeated right now, but as it was all he could see was that the redhead was so wrapped up in this other captain he had ceased to see reason.

Wow… absently, Kid found himself distracted by the sensation of his eyes itching. His fucking eyes were watering? How long had it been since he had last cried about something? Ducking his head and clenching his jaw, Kid forced himself to swallow. It took work, but he managed to reigned in his emotion until he had himself clenched in an iron grip and he was able to banish any likelihood of actual tears falling. He and Law had last parted on such good terms. He’d felt light, seen… safe. At a loss of what to say to his best friend, Kid just kept his head down and shrugged in response, exhausted somehow, and he wasn’t even the angry one at this point.

Kid’s lack of engagement in the conversation took the wind out of his sails. Killer hadn’t come here to drive a further wedge between himself and his captain and he hadn’t come to make him feel like shit either, “Maybe he’s not using you. But I don’t know that. And from the sounds of it, neither do you. I just want to understand. I want to know if we make an alliance with Trafalgar that I can trust him with my life. Until we get there, I can’t see any sort of real alliance happening.”

Huffing a little, Kid ruefully shook his head as he finally looked back up, “Don’t go soft now.” He wasn’t being snide or vindictive, but the point was important to make, “Can’t remember the last time you just ignored me using your real name, so…” It was another shrug again, then, as Kid struggled to work through his thought processes, “Clearly you feel a way about this whole thing.” Subconsciously, Kid reached over his body with his right hand and wrapped it around his left bicep, as though that would make hearing the answer to his next question any easier, “What do you want me to do?”

Kid was acting so cowed all of a sudden that Killer was reminded that yeah, the redhead did trust him more than anything. Otherwise he wouldn’t be taking this so seriously. “I know he means something to you and I don’t want to take that away, so if you two wanna have something between you, then fine. But if it’s going to be more than that, I want you to get real answers. Stop beating around the bush and playing nice with him.”

“What do you want to know?” this was easier, to make it transactional, into something more of a business conversation. Helps remove them from the murky waters of feelings and attachments and sensations that may or may not matter, may or may not be true, but sure as hell feel like they are. If he could get a list of sensible requests from Killer and then just get Law to check the boxes, maybe he could stop feeling like a ball getting punted between them. 

“It’s not like there’s some magic piece of information that will make me feel better, Kid. I want to know enough to feel like I know he’s not going to fuck us over,” knowing where Trafalgar came from and why he was the way he was, his guiding principles, his short term goals, all that kind of shit was important for lasting trust. Right now, Killer hardly knew anything more about the Surgeon of Death than he had before they’d met on Sabaody.

To Killer, that spoke of intentional obfuscation, given how much time the two crews had spent together. How could he have not picked up anything else about the other captain unless Trafalgar was intentionally either lying or keeping himself so closed off among those he called allies that it was clear he didn’t actually trust them. 

“I already know that,” though there was a bit of force behind the words, it wasn’t anger. His next words felt tantamount to admitting defeat, but what else did he have? He and Killer had made it this far together and he owed nobody as much as he did Kill, which meant he wanted to give him everything he was asking for. Too bad it wasn’t that easy, “I don’t know what else t’do t’make you feel that way.”

“Do you really feel like he’s trustworthy?” Changing tactics slightly, Killer sank down on the mattress beside Kid, his anger draining and taking his strength with it. Physical challenges were always easier than emotional ones and he was starting to regret not throttling Trafalgar while he’d had the chance. That at least would have been more straightforward.

Spreading his fingers out in front of him, Kid studied his hands for a moment before nodding slightly. There was no point in verbalizing it, he’d already told Killer every reason he had, so why go through the effort of rehashing the details? He felt a little better, at least, that Killer had chosen to sit next to him instead of yell from across the room - he hated feeling distant from his family. 

“If he was serious about this - about an alliance, anyway - don’t you think he’d find it valuable to have the rest of us trust him like you do? He’s too smart not to know how this is supposed to work.” Regardless of their prior conversations, Killer didn’t feel like he was beating a dead horse, here. This felt new enough to discuss again, and with Kid actually listening to him Killer wasn’t really willing to just drop it.

Sighing, Kid ran another hand through his hair and clenched it into a fist at the crown of his head. This is why he hated talking - it was always so much easier to beat someone or something until he got what he wanted. “I… look, I don’t even know if he’s after an alliance like that. He hasn’t asked for one and with what he’s planning, I don’t think he wants an entourage.”

Frowning, Killer drew back to look at Kid. “...have you not even talked to him about it? You told me that was what you wanted out of this whole thing.” Suddenly he felt foolish; all this time Killer had been under the assumption both captains were working toward a mutual goal but it seemed like the answer Kid had given him had been one sided.

Grimacing, Kid bit the inside of his lower lip before ruefully shaking his head. They hadn’t talked about a full on alliance like that because Kid knew that Law wasn’t even planning on taking his own men to face DonQuixote, he’d be even less interested in having the Kid Pirates along for the ride. Kid had visions for the future, perhaps, but in retrospect he hadn’t really made that clear to his second, had he?

“God dammit, Kid,” Killer groaned, pulling himself to his feet. So this whole thing had been pointless. He still felt like having a relationship with Trafalgar wasn’t the healthiest thing for Kid, but he wasn’t about to meddle in something that private. It was only because he was under the impression that there would be an alliance - something Killer had every right to test the other captain on - that he’d bothered in the first place. “Tell me when I have a stake in this shit between the two of you so I can stop wasting my damn time, all right?” 

“Sorry,” Kid’s tone turned up a little on the end of the word, as though he was hopeful that things between them were all better now and Killer would forgive him without too much trouble. Perhaps a lot to ask, to be sure, but it was how things had been between them for years. His parting words, though, were said with absolute sincerity, because at the end of the day he knew nobody cared about him the way Killer did, “Thanks for always having my back.”

Killer scoffed as he left, flashing his captain the middle finger as he disappeared around the corner - which, between them, was usually an affectionate gesture. “Yeah I do. For all that you don’t even listen to me,” he huffed before heading out of easy earshot.

At this point, Kid had no issues hollering after him, “I always listen, sometimes I just disagree!” Flopping backwards, Kid let his body hit the mattress and stared up at the ceiling - he’d never expected this to get so damn complicated. But he was in it now and thing was, he wasn’t really willing to give up any of it. 

\--

It was a few weeks later that found Kid and company wandering through the markets of the mainland, browsing the shops for a few well priced supplies. They’d broken one too many tools and finally had to get their hands on some replacements - even Kid couldn’t cut down a tree without some kind of functioning saw. He’d left Heat and Grudge to pick up some food while he made his way to the nearest tool shop and was currently browsing the wares, mumbling to himself in disgust every time he came across a poorly tempered saw blade or hatchet head. 

As the days trickled by at an absolute snail’s pace, Law found himself feeling more and more restless. After his interaction with Killer, he had nothing but time on his hands to think and determine he could have handled it better. Like it or not, Kid had become important to him and that meant he needed to play nice with his family. He could recognize that Killer was asking to understand him better, not simply to be nosy. It was enough that Law had felt somewhat cowed, so in the weeks that followed he kept to himself. 

To keep from being driven crazy by the endless waiting, Law had taken to walking through the main port city’s market, the beaches, the forest, as much of the small island as he could. It was thanks to this new hobby of his that he caught sight of Kid and was almost embarrassed at how much his spirits were lifted by just seeing the redhead. Thankfully, his blond guard dog was nowhere to be seen, so when Law approached from behind it was without any trepidation. “I’d recognize that fiery red hair anywhere,” he said by way of greeting.

Startled from his reverie - Kid had been letting his power wash through the shop, trying to find the most well constructed piece there - he jerked and whirled around. While the sound of the voice was familiar and welcome, that was the only part of it he felt open to. Abruptly whipping around and coming about-face with Law, Kid dropped the awl he’d been handling without a thought as his words came just as subconsciously, “Don’t fucking say that!” His eyes flared hot and heated, entire posture conveying a sense of tense energy, as though he was moments away from lashing out. 

Years of finely honed instinct had Law stepping back like he’d been burned before Kid could even speak. The other man had jerked at his words like he’d been electrified and it appeared that Law had been right to be concerned that his argument with Killer had torn something in the comfortable relationship they’d built. With nothing but white noise filling his brain, Law simply watched Kid warily, words failing him in the moment.

His chest heaving with the frantic pace at which he was sucking in air, Kid clenched his hands into fists and looked away from Law, throwing his focus onto anything but the other man’s face. The instantaneous bolt of fear and disgust that had jolted through his body left him feeling raw and exposed in all the worst ways and he just wanted the feeling to go the fuck away. It was several minutes of tense silence before he even dared to move again, slowly twisting his head back to look at Law from the corner of his eye. 

It was nearly impossible to read Kid’s expression from the angle he was at, but the persistent silence and tension between them gave Law a pretty good idea of the situation. Drawing himself up so he didn’t appear intimidated, he turned to go, muttering, “Didn’t mean to bother you.” 

At that Kid’s eyes widened further, just for a second, before he finally pushed the words out, “I’m fine.” Consciously doing his best to force his body to relax, Kid focused on releasing the tension from each muscle as best he could, his posture clunky as it moved from rigid to something more like neutral, though he couldn’t make it entirely convincing. 

It wasn’t an invitation to stay so Law didn’t take it as such. He was already aware of the eyes on them both which made the option for solitude that much more appealing. It felt like all the warmth had been violently sucked out of his body with how Kid had reacted to his presence and it was all he could do to keep from running out of the damn store. In moments like this, Law was aware of how weak Kid had made him and hated him for it.

“It’s fine,” this time, Kid grated the words out between clenched teeth, tone not quite conveying what he was truly struggling with. Law had no reason to know that something so seemingly simple would engender such a miserable reaction. Kid kept telling himself that, which got easier to believe as some of the tension started easing from his frame on its own now, without him trying to force it. He didn’t really want Law to go, they hadn’t seen each other in weeks and while he probably should address the thing will Killer, too, more than anything he just wanted to spend a little time with Law in peace. 

At his core, he wanted to stay. He had allowed Kid to have more value than his own comfort and every subsequent realization of how far these feelings had taken him built a deeper sense of unease. It was like he was slowly being reborn into a completely new person without his permission. Law paused in the doorway but he didn’t speak or move closer, not trusting that this would end as a pleasant interaction given the way it had started.

“Kinda surprised you never asked t’come around,” that wasn’t true, actually, Kid was smart enough to figure that Law knew his last interaction with Killer hadn’t gone well, but it seemed like the best conversation starter he could come up with. While he didn’t move from his spot, to be the first to speak and the first to close the gap between them feeling too vulnerable, Kid found himself hoping that Law would relent and take on the second one of those himself.

Law felt himself shrug, warmth slowly seeping back into his body, “I figured if you wanted me to, you would have asked.” The reality of the situation was that he simply didn’t know how to address what had happened on the beach. He wasn’t sorry he hadn’t opened up to Killer; it was inappropriate to make those demands of him in the first place. But Law could concede he couldn’t treat Kid’s second like some stranger off the street. Navigating what was turning out to be treacherous waters was clearly something he still had to learn to do.

“Ah, yeah,” figuring he might as well address the elephant in the room, Kid shrugged and tilted his head side to side as he spoke, “you really fucked things up with Killer.” Even though Kid didn’t want things to end with Law, he would always come to his second’s defense. Thing was, it wasn’t his problem to fix, “You better figure out how to handle that with him. You know I’m not just gonna let you treat him like that.”

This was not the conversation he envisioned having when he first saw Kid, especially not in public. Perhaps it was the situation or just the amount of time that had passed since they’d last seen each other, but Law felt like there was an ocean between them, keeping them distant. While his instinct was to defend himself, there was no part of this conversation Law was willing to have in such a public place. “Yeah? Maybe the question should be why he thinks he’s entitled to my personal life. 

Pursing his lips, Kid did his best to remind himself that they were both at fault, at least a little bit. Taking a few deep breaths to stay calm before he opened his mouth to respond, Kid went with the most tactful answer he could think of, “I’m not sayin’ either of you are wrong. I’m just sayin’ I’d like it fixed.”

“And I’m saying I’d rather not discuss it here, with an audience. If you plan on staying, I’ll see you later. Otherwise, lets go.” That said, and with his mood significantly soured, Law turned and left the shop. He reasoned that if Kid followed, maybe things weren’t as bad off as he thought. If he didn’t follow, then it was for the best. Law wasn’t dramatic enough to think that this was the end of whatever they had built, but if it was going to be unpleasant he’d rather experience it alone.

Kid did feel himself growing a little hot under the collar again, but to be honest he was sick of fighting, “Fine.” He really didn’t think it was too much to ask that Law make a little effort with Killer but he guessed they’d talk through the specifics somewhere more private. If anything, he just wanted the two of them to sort it out between them so he could go back to enjoying the time spent with them both. It was with those thoughts in mind that he followed Law out, quiet but present at his back. 

Having Kid’s bulk at his back was more comforting than it had any right to be, but Law didn’t waste time thinking about it. Instead he made his way to the bar he’d decided was his favorite after wandering the city for days on end, stalking to the corner booth that was practically reserved for him. It was the middle of the day so there were few other patrons around, making it the most perfect place for private conversation outside of his ship.

Sliding into the booth across from Law, Kid interlaced his fingers across the top of the table and watched Law, waiting for him to break the ice. Things between them did feel very fraught right now, but Kid was hoping that was at least partially because he was still keyed up from what Law had said earlier. 

What had started out as any other day had become a crossroads. Law knew he had a choice to make; to continue using his past as a crutch or pushing past that barrier and really opening up, starting by admitting he was wrong to react so harshly with Killer. What had been holding him back for so long was his insistence that he wait until he knew Kid was worth it but really he’d known that for a long time. “...he cares about you a lot. Killer.” 

That much was obvious, but Kid could tell when someone was easing into a difficult conversation as well as the next guy, “Yeah. We’ve been friends since we were kids.” That was true and easy, Killer always having provided a welcome relief from his otherwise shitty childhood. “He’s my brother,” Kid elaborated slightly by way of explanation, wanting to make things easier for Law if he could. 

Nodding absently to show he’d heard, Law weighed his options He still really didn’t want to get into the full details of everything, but at least providing some explanation should make things easier. “I’ll figure shit out with him,” it was dismissive, but sincere; a promise that though they weren’t going to specifically discuss his falling out with Killer, Law knew it needed to be done.

“I know you went through some shit when you were a kid, and I’m not here to play whose life was worse. But Killer knows what happened to you because he was there for it. I… don’t have anyone like that. I haven’t told anyone what happened to me. Not even my crew,” pausing then, Law felt his lips curl and he steepled his fingers to hide the expression. What was he even trying to get at here?

At hearing Law sincerely - albeit flippantly - agree to address things with Killer, Kid felt his body sag into the seat. He could breathe a little easier now, at least. But that gasp of relief was momentary at best, his attention shifting from Law’s face to the tips of his steepled fingers and back again, for lack of any certainty as to where cementing his gaze would be more comfortable. But his attention on Law was complete and that much was obvious, regardless of where his eyes landed, and he nodded a little to show he was listening, even if he wasn’t sure what to say quiet yet. 

“I’m… trying.” The words were sparse, but efficient and honest. If Kid could put up with the fits and starts they were sure to encounter every time the subject came up, Law would at least make an effort. The things he had shared had been healing somehow, even though that concept was frightening; who was he if not the result of various traumas suffered at a young age? Who was he if he was allowed to move past that? It was too daunting a question to consider; the only option, the only way to know for sure, was to find out.

That caught Kid off guard for a minute, his eyes flicking to Law’s, catching, and staying as he tried to work through what the other man was trying to say. It was then that a tentative question escaped him, unsure of if he was reading into things properly, “... With me?” His own fingers were flexed, pressing into the back of the opposite palm, as though he was afraid the answer was going to be no.

The question brought Law out of his reverie, features pinched in confusion. “...who else?” He’d thought it was obvious enough that it went without saying. Kid looked so hopeful, though, and Law could feel there was something tenuous blossoming from the seeds they’d planted where just moments before he was sure it’d remain buried forever.

At that Kid broke out into something of a watery smile - as though he wasn’t sure smiling was the right response, but his body wanted to do it anyway. Nodding a little he looked over his shoulder toward the exit for a moment before returning his attention back to Law, “... we could go back to your sub.” It was a question disguised as a statement, a tentative yet hopeful request. 

“Heh. Seein’ me vulnerable get you all hot and bothered?” Being his usual irreverent self helped counter how exposed he felt, edging back into their usual teasing banter. Law flagged down one of the servers and leaned back against the booth. “Think I could use a drink first, anyway.”

“Then you’re buying me one too,” mimicking Law, Kid sank back into the booth as well, trying to hide the fact he was still nervous. Were things with Law not actually okay, is that why he didn’t agree to go back to the Polar Tang? Or was he serious about just wanting a drink first? Or was it just a stall, until he could think of a better reason to bounce. Chewing on the inside of his lip as those thoughts went round and round in his head, Kid did his best to hide a grimace and quiet them. Easier thought than done. 

Their drinks were ordered and brought to them in quick succession and Law was immediately grateful to have something to do with his hands. There was no good segue into anything else and unless Kid asked something specific Law wasn’t about to go offering tidbits of his life up like hors d’oeuvres. 

Kid was ready to let the complicated conversations lapse for a little while anyway, preferring to let things simmer down before they dove back into anything too heavy. He was part way through his pint and coming to enjoy the companionable silence when another patron entered the establishment and made his way to the bar, sitting at the corner nearest them. 

As the man lifted one hand to reach for his beer, Kid noticed he was missing two fingers. It seemed they had been lost right above where the joined to the palm and the ragged edge to the way they’d healed told Kid that losing them certainly wouldn’t have been a pleasant experience. Shaking his head he turned back to his pint, taking another strong gulp before commenting, “For anybody who’s not you, losing a finger’s gotta suck.” Made sense, right, to break the silence with something mundane.

Kid had chosen to speak just as Law was pulling back from a drink and he almost spit his beer back into the mug. If he hadn’t known it was impossible, he would have thought Kid was setting him up, but he’d seen the same thing as the redhead and knew it was just unlucky timing. “Yeah, it doesn’t feel good,” he agreed, slowly testing the waters of how much he was comfortable sharing. “Just because I can reattach them doesn’t mean losing any body part hurts less.”

At that Kid looked up sharply, blinking in confusion at Law for a long moment before opening his mouth, rethinking his words, and closing it again. It was a few moments later that the same sequence repeated again before, finally, Kid managed to find the right words, “Um… what?” Or, at least, the best words he could muster. 

There wasn’t much else he could do but dive right in, so Law held up his right hand with the fingers splayed. The tattoo on the back of his ring finger covered the most obvious sign that the skin tone didn’t exactly match, the length of that one finger too short to be natural. “This one, for example. I was probably 14 or 15 when I lost it. I fucked up and had to find a replacement.”

Well, whatever he’d been expecting, that hadn’t been it. Sure, he’d done a catastrophically dangerous - and, by some accounts, stupid - thing at fourteen, but he hadn’t lost any phalanges because of it. “Uh, okay,” blinking as though that would make following this story any easier, Kid stared at Law’s proffered hand and suddenly began to notice that it did seem a little out of place, “so… what happened?”

This wasn’t a particular story he was necessarily proud of, but it was at least something he had a choice in. Unlike all the hellish bullshit life had thrown at him from the time he was ten, this was something he did to himself and given where it had gotten him Law was hard pressed to regret it, “Turns out there are fucked up people in the world, Kid. But they’re willing to pay an arm and a leg for an arm and a leg. Or a finger, in my case.”

At this moment, Kid couldn’t decide if he was genuinely stupid, or his brain was just trying to be obtuse on purpose. So he continued to ask clarifying questions, as though he was too nervous to jump to the more grisly conclusion swimming around in his head, “But, uh… you have all your other ones. So… you gave up other people’s, then? After you messed up with your finger?”

The laugh that Kid’s question pulled from him was dark and bitter. “You’re so naive, it’s kind of adorable. I didn’t give up anyone else’s body parts. People would pay me a lot of money and in return I let them cut off my fingers. Or a toe, here and there, but it’s easier to be precise with fingers.” Law couldn’t help but be amused by the horror his words left in their wake - he knew it was fucked up. He couldn’t help but feel like he’d seen every facet of human depravity that existed and that kind of thing left its mark.

“You…” shaking his head like he couldn’t have heard right, the look Kid gave Law couldn’t be described as anything but horrified, some strange mix of astonishment, sadness, and repulsion that read clear as day on his face, “... what…” While that wasn’t a question, this time, just the verbal musings of someone trying to wrap his head around an unfathomable reality, his next question was exactly that - a question, “... Why…?”

“How else would I have been able to afford the Polar Tang?” Though Law knew that the way he’d earned his money was horrific, it was never damage he hadn’t been able to fix. It had taken a few attempts to figure out how exactly to do what needed to be done, and though each time had earned him a significant portion of the funds he’d needed, the type of men who were willing to pay for that sort of abuse with a homeless 15 year old boy were not typically wealthy. Law was uniquely qualified to withstand that sort of thing and he didn’t regret the momentary pain he’d endured to get to where he was now.

While that was one way to raise money and Kid wouldn’t fault anyone for what it took to make a dime, this still wasn’t an easy concept to fully hold on to. As his mind struggled to make sense of things and turn Law’s revelation into something slightly less terrible, his neanderthal brain finally locked on what it thought was a logical concept. Perking up then, Kid managed a grin to shoot Law’s way as he said with some confidence, “Fuck, right. Makes sense. You just use your power. It’s different for you, didn’t even hurt. Nice scam.”

For someone who had endured his own brand of hell, Kid seemed like he was still so optimistic. Law almost hated to correct him. “See, but when I do this-” without any warning other than the sudden flare of blue that encompassed his arm as Law whipped out the dagger he kept sheathed in his coat and cleanly sliced off his hand at the wrist, “I don’t bleed. And bleeding is kind of the point.” Just as quickly, Law tucked away the dagger and re-attached his severed hand, all with a casual air as though he hadn’t done something that would petrify most people.

Kid had grown used to Law’s freaky-ass power enough - just enough - that he managed to avoid recoiling at the display that would have otherwise sent most people scrambling out of the booth. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t willing to complain about it though, “Y’could use your words like a normal person…” 

In trying to appear unruffled, Kid managed to distract himself from what Law was actually saying for a moment, but then things came full circle again and his ruffled feathers sank back down into pinned back ears. “Oh… oh, fuck…” the horror of what Law was laying out finally burrowed itself fully into Kid’s mind, laying out a very distinct image of teenage Law spreading his fingers out on the table for some nut job to cut off, blood spurting from the wounds, the sear of pain whipping across Law’s features, his dismembered body part lying useless on the table. 

For the first time in a long, long time, Kid turned green. Skipped right past red, or white, and went straight to I’m-about-to-vomit green, though he held that back by sheer force of will. Looking back up to Law with equal parts alarm and awed respect showing on his features, Kid just shook his head and responded with a helpless shrug - he was not going to be able to find any words for a while now, much less the right ones. 

Though his intention in sharing this part of his past hadn’t been as a test, it worked as one just as well. Of course, there was the expected reaction of alarm, but there was still no outright revulsion - not directed at him, anyway. And absolutely zero pity. Law could read a sense of respect from Kid at all he’d endured, and that he was more than willing to accept. “You keep saying you want to know about my past. It doesn’t get any better.”

“Cool,” okay, change of topic, totally doable. They could talk about this, Kid’s stomach would quit doing flip-flops, and they could move on to a fairly normal day. And then he realized that, in context, that was an awful fucking response. “I mean, not cool, fuck,” grimacing, Kid just bent over and set his head down on the tabletop, staring at the grainy wood pressed against his nose. He was just going stop talking for a little bit. Wait until he stopped being dumb.

It was… strangely endearing, to see a man so strong and fearless, as well as full of raw intelligence, be reduced to monosyllabic words at the slightest exposure to all Law had been through. Unwilling to quell the urge, Law reached out and combed his fingers against Kid’s scalp, ruffling his hair affectionately. “Are you sure you want to know the rest of it? You looked like you were going to lose your breakfast a second ago.”

Huffing out through his nose, Kid grumbled nonsense up at Law, though the tone of it was affectionate enough that it couldn’t be construed any other way. Holding still for a couple minutes, Kid let Law touch his hair and waited until he was fairly certain he could speak like a normal human being before he finally lifted his head to look Law in the face, words clear with sincerity as he spoke, “Yeah. I wanna know all of you.” It feel like such a natural, normal thing to say that Kid didn’t even recognize it as perhaps more intensely intimate than a million other ways he could have answered that question. 

Law had expected some trepidation, especially in the face of what he had just shared. He hadn’t been exaggerating; he really didn’t think letting strangers cut off his fingers for money was worse than what happened at Flevance and the feeling of losing Cora-san. Of course anyone sane would be questioning whether they even wanted to know the truth, let alone continue a relationship with the broken person who had endured all that terror.

But Kid had never reacted predictably. He was so sincere, so earnest, so damn unflinching in the face of the hell Law had presented that all the warmth he’d lost earlier came back all at once, crashing over him like a wave. This reckless, foolish man meant it when he said he wanted to know all of him - and Law felt overwhelmed in a way he hadn’t in a long time, choked by the words and feelings welling in his chest.

Kid could sense, even if he couldn’t see, the way that his words sent a swell of emotion through Law. Something about that helped him find the courage to speak up again, guided him to the right words, “You’re a fucking beast, you get that?” Shaking his head in awe, Kid shot Law a grin that was clear in its admiration, “Some kid is so tough he lets his fingers get cut off for money so he can buy his first ship? That’s metal as fuck.” Looking down to the mostly empty beers setting in front of them, Kid tapped his fingers on the tabletop for a moment before circling back to his previous suggestion, “... still a no on going back to that ship?”

The compliments were so like Kid that Law couldn’t stop the helpless laughter that left him. Perhaps it was relief he was feeling; relief that he’d been able to continue sharing more of his history with Kid without it coming back to bite him in the ass. Relief that he was even willing to listen at all. Now that he’d gotten so close to the other captain, Law couldn’t remember why he’d ever thought distance was the safest option when he already felt so comfortable with the redhead. “Yeah, sure. I can show you how much of the Polar Tang you can buy with a finger.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lol, so fun fact, what we initially thought would be our Chapter 25 is actually going to be chapters 25, 26, and 27. Sometimes the plans we make for one chapter are too grand in reality to do right. 
> 
> Missed you all! We should be back to our fairly regular posting schedule for a while now!
> 
> [ Akimao](https://akimao.tumblr.com/post/184831192681/are-you-sure-you-want-to-know-the-rest-of-it-you) drew art for this chapter and I have been lazy with updates; sorry everyone! This deserves to be shared; I love their expressions and how soft Law looks.


	26. Hanging On

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Discussion of child sexual abuse. Mild drug references.

The trip back to the Polar Tang had passed mostly in silence, Kid instead choosing to enjoy the warmth of the sun on his skin and the grounding sensation of his boots against firm earth as they made their way to the docks. Somewhere along the way, he realized belatedly as he looked down and suddenly realized they were intertwined, he must have grabbed Law’s hand and tangled their fingers together. It was the hand with the mismatched ring finger, he realized. Not that it mattered, really, it was still Law’s hand. 

The casual affection wasn’t lost on Law, but he didn’t fight it. If Kid could start out the day angry at him, then learn one of the nasty secrets he’d been keeping and still find it effortless to touch him, how could he dislike it? There was a sense of security building between them that Law was beginning to find more comforting than worrisome. 

There was little activity, as usual, on the deck of the Polar Tang as they returned. His crew had been enjoying their extended shore leave far more than Law himself. Bepo was snoring where he slept on his stomach in a patch of sun, a fishing rod laying forgotten beside him. Jean Bart was idly watching the swell of the tide as it broke again their vessel, his own fishing rod grasped in one hand. 

Upon their arrival, the larger man perked up and nodded in recognition. “Welcome back, captain,” he greeted, nonplussed at the company Law had returned with. “You too, Captain Kid. Try to stay outta trouble.” Jean Bart’s words were more a tease than any actual warning as he turned back to his fishing.

Lifting the hand he still had curled around Law’s in way of greeting, Kid acknowledged Jean Bart with the same nonchalance, “Hey. Won’t promise anything.” Making his way on deck, Kid took in the snoring polar bear and burly fisherman occupying it and was struck, for perhaps the first time, that though the members were different, perhaps their crews had more similarities than he’d previously acknowledged. He could easily see any number of his men in this same configuration. 

Jean Bart’s only other contribution to the conversation was a snort of amusement before re-casting his line and focusing once more on the water. Though Law still considered public displays of affection distasteful, he didn’t mind that his crew saw the way Kid’s hand entwined with his own. For a long time, he tried to maintain the facade that they had no emotional connection but now he had no interest in it. It almost felt like he went to sleep one day, feeling and believing the same things he had for most of his life, and suddenly woke up with a sense of clarity he’d been missing. When would recognizing positive feelings ever stop being disorienting?

That settled, Kid found the hatch and led them down into the bowels of the sub, easily able to navigate back to Law’s room in spite of the fact that the last time he’d roamed these hallways he’d been in an entirely different - and angry - state of mind. It felt… important, somehow, to be back here, like this mattered for a reason he couldn’t put words to. But whatever it was, he welcomed it, the chance to put together a good memory here. 

Locating Law’s room as easily as if it were his hundredth trip, Kid nudged the door open and led them both inside, pressing it shut at Law’s back once the smaller man had crossed the threshold. Privacy secured, Kid went back to their earlier conversation and knew that, at least for a moment, they needed to talk about something serious. He owed Killer that. 

Sitting on the edge of Law’s bed, Kid toed his boots off and shook off his coat before flopping onto his back, reaching out with one foot to snag his ankle around Law’s calf and pull him in closer too. “... We should hash out some specifics on Killer,” it was a request, even if it didn’t sound like a question. It would be simple enough, he thought, if Law would only agree to it.

It was almost dreamlike, the familiarity Kid exhibited after having only been here once on top of how easy it was to just be near him. In the time it took the other man to get comfortable, Law had tossed his hat on his desk and kicked off his own shoes, Kikoku safely stashed in its usual spot against the wall. The wordless invitation for continued closeness was taken without question and Law found himself on his side stretched across the width of his bed, looking down at Kid as he spoke. “...what about Killer?”

The breath Kid released then was one of relief, grateful that Law seemed open to the conversation, “I just… need y’to respect him. He’s worried about me.” While Kid didn’t exactly like sharing Killer’s personal feelings, he wanted the picture to be clear for Law - he wanted them to get along. “If we get into an alliance… you know… ugh,” groaning a little, Kid pulled a hand down his face and tried to be succinct, “he thinks you’re using me, since you’re not tryin’ to make an effort with him.”

“It’s a little hard to respect someone who doesn’t respect me,” Law replied, clenching his jaw as he recalled the exchange with the man in question on the beach. He knew Killer’s nosiness was a symptom of his concern for Kid, but understanding that didn’t make it any easier to accept the way he’d so bluntly demanded details Law would do anything to keep buried forever, “I said I’d work it out.”

“I know,” Kid was being as careful as he could to avoid turning this into a fight, “I’m just… tryin’ to make it easier for you.” Reaching out with the arm closest to Law, he wrapped it around the other man’s shoulders and pulled him in tight against his side, “I want y’to like each other.” That said Kid turned his head to the side, nuzzling it softly against whatever patch of Law’s skin he could find, “... want y’both t’be happy.”

“Dunno if we’ll ever like each other,” Law mused, more concerned with finding a comfortable spot at Kid’s side than imagining how he and Killer could have a friendly relationship. Deciding being crammed against the redhead’s side with his arm awkwardly beneath him wasn’t going to be comfortable, Law simply rolled over so he was laying on top of Kid, head pooled on the larger man’s chest. 

“Don’t say that,” Kid whined, and it was truly a whine, as he helped Law settle and rearranged him slightly so the pointy bits weren’t jabbing him in uncomfortable places. That done he began absently stroking one hand up and down the back of Law’s shirt, tracing the fragile bone structure underneath the fabric, bumpy nodules of spine or sweeping curves of shoulder blades. There was something peaceful in the tender movement and it lulled him into a sense of safety. 

There was no one Law had let touch him with such casual intimacy but rather than shrug off Kid’s touch he relaxed into it. It really was soothing, the gentle familiarity of his hands. “Would you rather I lie?” Law questioned, knowing what the answer would be and simply asking to make his point. “Is this all we came back here for? To lament my lack of fondness for Killer?”

Shaking his head a little, Kid though about where he wanted to take the conversation for a moment before speaking again, “I want t’know more about you. More than I do. … For me, not t’tell Killer, or make him feel better.” Every new thing he’d learned about Law thus far had just made him feel closer to the other man, like they had more between them than just status, and he longed for that sensation to grow. 

The proposition of sharing more than he already had made Law squirm. Sure, he had let himself feel exposed and came out the other side feeling connected to Kid in a way he couldn’t explain. That didn’t mean he was eager to continue putting himself in a vulnerable position. “...what else do you want to know?” he asked, trepidation clear in the words.

Kid could pick up on how nervous Law had suddenly become and he wanted to respect that, continuing to stroke his hands up and down Law’s back soothingly. He considered his next question for a moment, trying to find an innocuous one, something that would be easy to answer. He settled on the best thing he could think of, “What’s the best thing that ever happened t’you?”

Law could tell that Kid was trying to go with an easy topic of conversation, but that was almost as difficult to answer as Killer’s demand to know where he was from. What _was_ the best thing that had ever happened to him? “...probably getting my fruit,” Law replied after minutes of silent deliberation. It was also one of the worst things that had happened to him, given the ultimate cost, but the fruit saved his life and gave him freedom he never would have had without it.

Nodding a little at that, Kid kept his gentle line of questioning going, “You go after that one on purpose, or just go with the first one you found?” His own fruit had been of the latter variety, though he wound up very satisfied with his luck in the end. He found that the origin story of someone’s powers could be enthralling or deathly boring and usually never anywhere in between. He had a feeling Law’s had heft to it. 

These questions were getting into dangerous territory, and the tension in Law’s body expressed that clearly. “It… was given to me. Intentionally.” Given the lack of elaboration, he hoped Kid would change the subject again. Law meant it when he said he was trying, but it was like playing with fire. He could only go so long before he got burned.

“Killer couldn’t find anything on you, y’know, but he researched the fuck out of that fruit,” moving the conversation along with a surprising amount of grace, Kid kept it flowing in a way that made sense without dwelling on the things he could sense were setting Law on edge. Fact of the matter was, they both knew that fruit was valuable, “Somebody musta really loved you.” 

Knowing that tit for tat was likely the best way to handle this conversation, Kid volunteered some history of his own, “No special story on my end. Stole it from a merchant without knowing what it was. Just…” Hesitating, Kid was recalcitrant to admit what he was about to say, but in the end whether or not he said it aloud would never change the fact that it was true, “Wanted to feel stronger than I was.”

Law could still hear Cora-san’s voice as clearly as if the man were alive to speak himself, _‘Law! I love you!’_ What had he done to deserve it in the first place? It was a thought he hadn’t had time to ponder recently, but the reminder dredged it back up, painful in its intensity. The fact that Kid continued the conversation was briefly lost on him, and it took a minute or two before Law could swallow down the emotion choking him enough to process the redhead’s words. “Isn’t that why anyone gets a Devil’s Fruit?”

“Don’t think so,” he responded, his hands having dipped down to trace at Law’s hips for the moment, “pretty sure some cock suckers get them because they think they’re already tough.” He’d been around seventeen when he’d found his fruit, half-starved and crazy with it, trying to figure out how to parent a five year old when he didn’t even know how to care for himself. The shiny, entrancing fruit had seemed like a promise that, somehow, things would get better. There was no way he’d been able to resist that pull.

Kid’s words rang true enough; Law imagined Doffy fit into that particular category even though he didn’t actually know the origin of his particular abilities. He was content to lay in silence and let Kid carry the conversation for now, so he hummed in acknowledgement and let the feeling of the hands at his waist soothe him out of his tense unease.

Trying to decide what to talk about next, Kid was quiet for a while too before settling on his next question, “Tell me something new about you. Don’t care what, s’long as I don’t already know it.” That should be an easy question to answer, allow Law to share whatever he felt comfortable sharing - at least, Kid really hoped so.

That was a difficult request as well, though it was mostly because Law couldn’t remember what Kid did and didn’t know about him that was mundane. “I’m ambidextrous?” he offered finally, the words lilting up at the end in a question because Law couldn’t remember if it was something he’d mentioned before or not.

“Aw, come on,” at that Kid scoffed playfully, as though put out by Law’s response, “I’ve seen you fight, y’think I didn’t pick up on that?” Playing at mock offense, Kid couldn’t help but continue to needle Law a little, “You think I’m an idiot, that it?” It was a sharp smack to Law’s ass that accompanied that question, as though Kid was trying to preemptively punish him for an affirmative answer. 

The playful teasing felt natural and it was enough to more completely put Law back into his usual controlled mindset; yet another change he was noticing, this ability Kid had to soothe him with almost no effort at all. “A little bit, yeah. I was pretty sure I was going to have to explain what ambidextrous even was,” he teased right back in his usual deadpan manner.

“Little punk,” this time, Kid pinched Law’s ass instead of slapping it, and pinched it hard. He couldn’t help but hope he’d left marks even though the thick fabric of his pants. “Come on, gimme something better,” lifting his head slightly, Kid studied the unruly mop of Law’s hair for a moment as he waited for a response. The soft smile that touched his face as he did, well… that happened all on its own. 

Reaching back to swat Kid’s hand away from his ass, Law pushed himself up on the other arm to look down at the redhead’s face as he considered his request, “You ever read Sora, Warrior of the Sea?” Though the comic was mostly popular in the North Blue due to the presence of the Germa there, Law couldn’t help but wonder if Kid ever bothered reading it. It was printed in global newspapers, so there was a chance, but by his own admission Kid rarely bothered with the newspaper. This was something he was more likely to have in common with Killer; maybe that could be something for them to bond over if it ever came to that.

Kid’s confused blinking as he processed the question was probably answer enough, but he followed it up with a most astute answer anyway, just to be sure, “Uh… sure fuckin’ haven’t.” Narrowing his eyes slightly, Kid lifted a finger to Law’s lips before the other man could speak again, as he tried to figure out what the nagging sensation in the back of his head was. Then it hit him, “Oh, is it in a paper, somewhere? Sounds familiar. Kill might read it?”

Rolling his eyes, Law bit at the finger pressed against his lips, holding on to it for a moment before releasing his hold and grinning. “You know, I kinda figured that would be the case. Considering our previous conversations on the topic of reading, I’m starting to think maybe you can’t.”

At that, Kid stuck his finger right back in Law’s mouth, hooked it into the side of his cheek, and pulled his head to the side rather sharply, “Ey, watch it, y’little tart.” While he could read just fine, it wasn’t exactly his hobby. He had more important things to do - build stuff and dismantle other stuff and, in general, mess with stuff. Only removing his finger once he felt his point had been made, Kid went back to the previous conversation, “What about it, anyway?”

“You’re in a very insulting mood today,” Law observed, pressing his tongue against the sore spot on the inside of his cheek where he could feel it throb in time with the beating of his heart. This playful rough treatment was starting to get to him, “Nothing. I just like it. Read it since I was a kid. It’s popular where I’m from.”

That was.. .cute, actually. Now that he’d had a moment to actually think, he recalled that it was actually something that Killer and Yara read together, though they didn’t often refer to it by the full title, which is what had thrown him off. Yara was particularly fond of one of the female characters, seemed to see her as something of a role model. Kid trusted that Killer wouldn’t let that be the case if the chick wasn’t deserving. 

“Maybe I’ll make y’read it to me,” grinning up at Law, Kid could see the little bump in Law’s cheek from where he was pressing his tongue against it. He chose to poke at it with a finger then, grinning as he entertained himself with the simple motion. 

Turning his head sharply, Law chomped at Kid’s finger in warning. “Don’t worry. It has a lot of pictures, I’m sure you’ll be able to make sense of it,” he mocked once his mouth was no longer occupied in attempting to bite the redhead. 

Far from insulted, Kid just laughed and pressed his head in, tucking it up and under Law’s chin and biting much harder at his neck than Law had nipped at his finger. It presented as a warning, but Kid only meant it that way in jest - he knew Law would react much differently. Once he’d sucked a soft red mark into Law’s skin he pulled away, lifting his head back to give him a devilish grin, “Illiterate or not, I still know how to turn you on.”

For as hard as Kid was biting him, Law’s fingers dug into the redhead’s biceps just as hard, exerting the effort to keep himself from moaning aloud. Maybe it was a little fucked up to get turned on this soon after revealing such horrific details of his past, but Kid had a habit of making him forget everything else. By the time Kid spoke, Law felt himself returning the grin with one of his own. “Yeah? Prove it, then.”

“Just did,” refusing to rise to the bait, Kid just chuckled and threw himself back against the soft sheets. For whatever reason, he wanted to continue talking. It seemed… easier than it usually was. Pulling Law back in against him, Kid tilted his head up and kissed him soft and sweet for a long moment before commenting, “But I’ll give you one kiss for every new thing y’tell me.”

Law wanted to scoff that a kiss wasn’t a reward, but Kid had even changed that. It was still sometimes a strange sensation, but the intimacy of it was growing on him. The words died in his throat and he huffed, shifting to fold his hands under his chin so he could look up at Kid with minimal effort. He was quiet for a while, searching for the most mundane details he could think of to share. “...I collect coins.”

Blinking, Kid considered his initial reaction of ‘I didn’t expect that.’ It only took a few moments for him to admit he had to stop _expecting_ things of Law. Of course the dude who let people cut off his fingers for money also collected coins, those two things were such a logical connection. Grinning at the fact that Law was playing along, Kid darted forward and pecked another sweet kiss to his lips before speaking again, “What one’s your favorite?”

Completely unintentionally, Kid had given Law the perfect opportunity to test the waters when it came to his fears about revealing where he was from. For all he knew, Kid didn’t even know about Flevance or its history, not that that would make it any easier to explain if he ever felt ready. His silence extended longer than it would have if he were just deliberating over a more innocuous answer, but when he finally spoke Law was fairly certain he was able to keep his voice even in spite of the spikes of anxiety his answer was awakening in his chest. “...I have some from Flevance.”

Completely unaware of the turmoil currently roiling through Law’s mind, Kid rewarded his companion with another kiss for his response, though this time it was longer and included a little nip of his teeth against Law’s lip at the end. That done Kid turned his attention to the questions that answer prompted for him, the first and foremost being, “Okay. What’s Flevance?” 

The fact that Kid’s initial reaction wasn’t blatant disgust helped relax Law quite a bit but it was still close enough to revealing a huge, un-buried part of himself that the panicked feelings had not fully abated. “...it was a country in the North Blue that was destroyed over a decade ago. Anything from there is really rare.” It wasn’t until after he spoke that Law realized that statement could technically apply to him, too. That was an odd way to think of himself; rare, like he was a prized relic from something long dead, worth more by virtue of being the only one left. 

“Destroyed?” Kid’s inquiry this time was obviously legitimate, interest written on his features, “What happened? How’d you wind up with a coin from there?” Kid was never one to pretend he knew a lot - schooling in his hometown hadn’t really amounted to much even on the best of days and he’d probably missed more than he’d attended; his parents would always prioritize making money over educating him if the option was available. So with this, he was eager to learn. 

Law made himself shrug. Like it wasn’t a big deal, like he didn’t know the intimate details of what happened, like he hadn’t been there in person to see it fall. “War,” it was a simple answer, close enough to the truth that it should be acceptable. “Stole it from some Marines who had been there.” 

That answer was, of course, a lie. He had coins in his pocket when the massacre happened; he’d been saving whatever money he could find to surprise Lamy with ice cream and baked goods in the hope it might make her feel better. Law had never been very good with verbally cheering her up, and thoughtful actions came to him more naturally. They were the only lasting thing he had from home besides the scars that ran so deep he may as well have been cleaved in two.

Grinning a little, Kid nodded his approval, “Can’t be a good pirate if you’re not a good thief.” Reaching up, he stroked his fingers from Law’s shoulder, down the back of his arm, to his wrist and then up again, the movement thoughtful, “Can I see them sometime?” While Law seemed a little… weird about sharing these details, Kid couldn’t think of a reason as to why, so he decided to keep acting as normal and see if that would help ease him out of it.

“Heh. Maybe,” for as bold and brash as Kid was when he needed to be, Law was impressed at how calm and unassuming he was in the moment. For a guy who could be so obtuse at times, he was remarkably good at reading the atmosphere around the people he cared about and adjusting his behavior in a way that was wholly genuine. Law could do it, too, but his motives were usually manipulation, at best. “If you’re good.”

Quirking an eyebrow at that, Kid tented his hands behind his head and continued his line of inquiry, “What’s bein’ good entail?” While most people wouldn’t even begin to consider him remotely ‘good,’ Kid was actually more than happy to follow a rule if it would lead him to his desired outcome. 

“Dunno,” Law shrugged and shifted his weight to the side, sliding off Kid’s chest to land on the mattress beside him, mimicking the other man’s posture. “I’ll decide if you’ve been good when I have the chance to show them to you. Or not.” Flashing a grin in the redhead’s direction, Law held himself poised for action in case Kid decided to pounce on him.

This time, Kid responded by rolling his eyes. But rather than move to straddle him or otherwise pin him down, Kid instead shifted the both of them until he was able to loop his arm under Law’s neck and pull the smaller man in against his side. It wasn’t as entwined as he usually liked, but it was still comfortable. “Maybe you’re the one that needs to be good,” it was said thoughtfully, like Kid was trying to determine if that was actually the case or not.

“I’m as good as you want me to be,” Law replied cheekily, glancing across his shoulder at Kid; the redhead might not be able to see his smile, but he could certainly see it in his eyes. “Are you going to tell me all the random things about yourself, too, or is this a one way street?” he mused now that his previous reward had been made difficult in this new position.

“Hm,” the thoughtful tone carried through, Kid eyeing the ceiling as he thought about it. He’d been wondering something for a while; Killer had planted it in the back of his mind during one of their late night conversations that Kid had a paper trail and Law was exactly the kind of person who would suss it out. That, on top of the fact that he’d followed him on Rocky Port and seen how he interacted with everyone… Fuck. He’d been trying to avoid the thought all together, but it seemed he couldn’t help it any longer, “I have one more question for you.”

Clicking his tongue, Law shifted closer. It completely took any heat out of his next words, “You’re a nosy bastard, you know that?” In spite of the fact that he’d brought up Flevance, Law was remarkably already calm. He wished he knew what it was about Kid’s nature that had that effect but it wasn’t really important, in the end. 

“S’different, this time,” while Kid didn’t sound morose, there was more solemnity in his voice than usual. He took a deep breath then, as though he needed the extra boost to ask the question, before finally gathering the courage to put it out into the world, “What d’you know about me that I didn’t tell you.” Though he’d tried to maintain eye contact with Law through it, the last few words found his gaze skittering away in spite of himself, to stare into the far corner.

The sudden serious tone caught Law’s attention right away and he shifted, rolling onto his side so he could face Kid. It was a loaded question to say the least, and Law breathed out slowly to prevent his initial instinct to respond carelessly from taking over. “...you’re feeling masochistic today, aren’t you?” he asked finally, giving Kid an out should he have changed his mind in the minutes since he asked.

Shrugging a little, Kid managed a weak smile but was able to return his gaze to Law’s face at this point, “Guess so. A little backwards, huh?” He was clearly a little anxious but certain - how they’d met earlier in the day was enough to prove to Kid that if this was going to be something, Law needed to know more about him than he did. But if he could avoid the pain of having to go over things the smaller man already knew, he’d take that in a heartbeat. 

Well, if he was so determined, Law figured he might as well dive right in. “I found an article about the day you left home. I know you killed your parents. And one of your sisters. Your older sister was left behind and you ran away with the youngest. Given what I’ve seen since I met you, I assume you did it because they… were selling you.” Law scrunched his nose at the expression, but he was trying to be delicate about how he spoke.

The play of expressions over Kid’s face as Law very neatly, very precisely, laid out the sum of the most personal, humiliating, terrifying, shameful days of his life were complicated, to say the least. It was as though his emotions couldn’t settle on how he should feel about the whole thing - pain, anger, horror that Law knew, they all flashed through him and left him feeling raw and exposed. But he was the one that had asked, wasn’t he. That didn’t make responding any easier; for a long, tense moment Kid just laid there as he tried to corral his thoughts and the agony clawing at his insides into something he could manage. 

“I figured you hated them, given the way you did it. Symbolic, too. ...I still don’t know why your sister was included, but I know it wasn’t because you hated her.” Law wanted to continue, mention his theories, but that wasn’t what Kid had asked for. Law knew how hard it must be to hear such personal, painful memories recited by someone who could never know what it was like to live the life Kid had, so he stuck to facts as much as he could. 

Oh, that. That was something he could respond to, right? Like a beacon to a drowning man, Kid recognized something that he could grab on to and hold tight, something to help pull him from the maelstrom inside him. He and Law had already talked, albeit with aggressive brevity, about Kat. He loved her. He did… the very best he could for her. He could… he could respond to that, “Kat. Her name’s Kat.” Well, he could start, anyway. Hopefully Law would recognize that he’d need some help to continue. 

Slowly, Law nodded. Just like Kid’s calm had been infectious, so was his grief. Though Law was pretty sure it was only because he was thinking of his own dead sister, “...I remember. You mentioned her name.” It seemed like Kid was trying to say more but the words were stuck in his throat so Law simply went quiet, allowing Kid to say what he could.

Good. More to grasp at. That was helpful. He could work with that. Nodding a little, though the movement was jerky, Kid found his ability to move forward, “It was her fire. With yours.” As though Law wouldn’t know what fire he was talking about, idiot, but at least he was actually making conversation. In most similar situations to this, he’d just be screaming and trying to choke whoever had brought it up. 

Wait. He’d brought it up. Right. He’d asked for this. 

Slowly, Law nodded. He’d known that Kid had suffered in his past but actually seeing it now was jarring. “My sister’s name was Lamy.” He knew that he’d told Kid that on the beach that day, knew that he’d seen it, but in his own experience with upsetting conversations having them not be so one-sided had helped. He hoped that rang true now, and the familiarity of the information he’d given would be soothing somehow. Damn, he was bad at this.

Oh. Right. Law had lost a sister too. Lamy. He remembered the name, his head bobbing in a nod of acknowledgement as that realization washed over him. Okay. This wasn’t like baring his soul to someone who could never hope to understand, or someone who would only apologize, like words meant anything. This, at least some of it, made sense to Law. That knowledge gave Kid the strength to go a little further, “... she was sick. In her head. Kat. Couldn’t take care of herself, I did… I did most of it, me and Lyssa. Not them, they only…” As the truth of what he was about to say sunk into him, Kid visibly retched, though the movement was contained to his stomach and throat - too much pride to actually vomit at mere words. At least, he hoped. 

“You don’t have to say it. I get the picture.” Though Law’s voice was soft, it wasn’t pitying. He was sorry for what happened to Kid - like it or not, he cared about the redhead as deeply as he cared about his crew, and he didn’t like to hear that any of them had suffered. But that was different than pity. Law caught the flutter in Kid’s throat and stomach and felt a pull in his chest - Kid was so strong and in spite of his fierce reputation he was _good_. To be so nauseated by what he’d lived through… Law almost felt bad that he wasn’t similarly disgusted. 

He knew Law didn’t expect him to say it, but something in him felt like he had to, like the world needed to know how fucking shitty it had treated Kat. “... That was how they… how they sold her. ‘Simple…’” the way he spit out the phrase, the disgust that coated every single letter, rang loud and clear through the room. 

His brain, apparently just as masochistic as Law had accused, decided to continue on with that train of thought. Maybe part of him felt like he owed it to Law to explain what had happened in the market, “They had somethin’ for each of us. … Lyssa was the ‘eager little vixen.’ Yara, she…” Again, Kid felt himself gagging as his hands clenched into fists - he’d tried to get her out before they could do anything to her, but he hadn’t been strong enough soon enough. 

The anguish on his face at that was clear as day, but he managed to push through again, “She was the ‘sweet, innocent baby’ and me… I… Fuck…” Tilting his head back to look at the wall behind him Kid tried, and failed, to stop the tears from welling up in his eyes. It’s not like this was new to him. Why was it so hard to say? He should be stronger than this. 

He’d been exposed to all sorts of depravity, but the things that Kid were talking about, while they weren’t new as concepts, were things Law had not personally experienced. His parents had loved him and his sister. They cared about the community at large. The sort of betrayal that Kid had gone through wasn’t something Law was certain he would never be able to fully grasp.

The themes Kid’s parents had given their children were painfully obvious. Assuming Kid was similar now as he had been then, Law was willing to hazard a guess. “You were the troublemaker? The stubborn boy?” What he had been exposed to, after his escape from Flevance and once he’d been cast into the world without Cora-san, were men who had a predilection for boys like that, taking joy in bringing them to heel. He found himself reaching up to touch Kid’s hair again, a soothing motion, but a shock of recognition paused him before he could. Kid’s reaction at the blacksmith. It made sense, suddenly. “...the fiery redhead.”

It was a whole body jerk, like someone had struck him, that ran through Kid at that and the tears that he had been trying so hard not to let fall now did so anyway, streaming backwards from the corners of his eyes and down his temples, to soak into that aforementioned hair. The struggle he had to find words was obvious then, his throat working and his lips parting for a long time before anything came out, “... I used to dye it. All the time. Black.” 

Until the day Yara had gotten old enough, and curious enough, to ask him why he did it. To tell him that she liked the red, when it started to poke through, as it always did. He’d been dumbstruck and lost for words then, too. When more than a handful of minutes had passed and he still wasn’t able to find any answer other than the horrible truth, he’d just found a smile for her and told her that if she liked it better red, he’d let it go red again. Luckily she’d been small enough then to accept his evasion without question or further probing. 

“Fuck that,” Law’s response was immediate and stern. Pushing himself up further onto one elbow, he peered down at Kid, brows drawn together, “I’m glad you stopped. You should be proud of it. Live up to that reputation. Own it. That way, no one can use it against you. It’s yours.” He couldn’t say why he felt so strongly about Kid’s reaction. Perhaps because it was just about impossible for him to claim any ownership in the horror he’d lived through, though he saw the power in it. Kid shouldn’t be shackled by the decisions his parents had made. 

“Heh,” Law’s sudden fervor brought a dry huff of a chuckle from Kid’s lips before he even realize it, but at least it seemed to break through his torpor somewhat, “... wish it was that easy.” Which wasn’t to say he hadn’t tried, hadn’t tried to stop caring, hadn’t tried to stop having nightmares about it, hadn’t tried to wash it off, convince himself it wasn’t his fault, hadn’t tried, hadn’t tried, hadn’t tried. But trying something didn’t automatically mean he’d be successful and success, in this realm, often felt far out of reach.

Law knew that most things were easier said than done and knew, too, that Kid was too proud to have let himself be so affected without a fight. He softened slightly, reaching up to touch the wild red hair that fanned out like a lion’s mane around Kid’s face. “...well, for what it’s worth, _I_ like it.” No doubt Kid had been told that before, but Law was at a loss for what else to say.

For whatever reason, that did help. That was three people in his life now - Killer, Yara, and Law - that liked it. It helped to stack the deck in their favor. Some days, he was even able to move from despising it with every fiber of his being to just accepting it as it was. Other days he wasn’t so lucky, but there was a reason he didn’t have a mirror in his cabin. Sighing softly he allowed Law to touch his hair, sinking a little further into the mattress as he turned his head into the palm of Law’s hand. 

Part of him desperately wanted to end the conversation here. To change the subject, or stop talking altogether. But apparently that part of him wasn’t the majority, because after a few quiet moments he found himself speaking yet again, “It’s not like… y’couldn’t even say it was for somethin’ good.” He and Lyssa used to argue about this all the time, her convinced that their parents spent most of the money to care for their kids and just needed a little for their own vices. But Kid had realized a long time ago that she was brainwashed, or too scared to admit otherwise, and he’d tried to forgive her over the years, the weight of that heavy in his voice as he finished his thought, “It was for drug money. Or just... drugs.”

That was new information, but it wasn’t surprising. Law had spent time in drug dens digging for information, he had seen time and time again the depravity addicts would subject themselves - and anyone else it was convenient for them to include - to for the sake of whatever high they were after. He didn’t stop his slow, methodical movements, fingers twining around the strands of Kid’s hair. Law got the sense this was soothing to the redhead and, in a way, it was soothing for him as well. “Drug addicts get fucked up when they get in too deep.”

“... Yeah. Well, s’easier to keep kids in line when you’re sellin’ them by getting them high too,” another dirty secret, another thing he couldn’t believe he was saying out loud, but for some reason it felt like he had to say it, like if he didn’t something inside him would burst. “Lys and I were lucky, I guess…” that was a fucked up word to use in this situation, but in comparison it was true, “... weren’t born addicted. … I…” Kid had to stop then, take a breath, swallow a few times, and steady himself before he dared to keep going, “... s’their fault Kat was sick like she was. Came out caught on it.”

Kid was painting a picture Law could imagine in excruciating detail. He felt a physical ache he couldn’t explain and on reflex pulled Kid in closer, like he could somehow protect him from his memories if he just held on tight enough. It felt as natural as it did strange; he’d spent so much time pushing people away that this instinct to protect was foreign to him. “Dunno if it’s luck or just the fact that you’re a stubborn little shit.” Law cracked a little smile as he spoke. He knew it would be disingenuous to start trying to be all sympathetic so he didn’t bother; let his usual irreverence prove that Kid’s truth didn’t change a thing about their relationship.

Another short, almost startled, bark of a laugh escaped Kid at that. Somehow Law always managed to keep pulling him back from the brink, stop him from collapsing in on himself and drowning in the filth of his history. “... I didn’t plan on doin’ it. Them. At first. I was just gonna run. But… when I was twelve, they had…” this time, when he laughed, it wasn’t anything like before. It was dark and twisted, dry and brittle with how humorless it was, “Lys, and Kat, and me… we were gettin’ too old to make a good dollar. So they had another.”

“Great reason to procreate,” Law muttered. Without his permission, his fingers had come to rest against Kid’s scalp, curling and extending each finger, lazily massaging the top of the other man’s head and he didn’t even really know when he’d started it. There were very few people Law had ever comforted in his life - few that he’d even _wanted_ to comfort - but it was like the feeling of his mother soothing him as a child was seared into his bones as he found himself mimicking the same actions she took with him. 

Almost as though Kid hadn’t heard him, he kept talking, though in reality every touch Law gave him and every word he said helped ground him, gave him the capability to keep going, to tell the whole story. Part of him felt so… desperate to finish it, to have at least one more person in the world understand what had happened to him, maybe even remind him that none of it was really his fault, “If I ran, I’d just left her to go through it too. And Kat alone, with nobody. I had… I didn’t know what else… I just… I had’t do something. For them. I did…”

This time, his voice did break, as hard as he tried to stop it, as hard as he tried to pretend that it still didn’t tear him up inside, what he’d done to Kat, “... I did best I could.”

There was such raw pain radiating from Kid that Law didn’t know what to do with it. He had never had a chance to really process the things that happened to him. They were painful, sure, but that pain usually manifested itself as anger or abject apathy. Law was almost jealous that Kid could feel so freely. But more than anything… he wanted to take it away, somehow. He was already broken. He could shoulder whatever burden the people he cared about carried with them and right now, Law genuinely wished he could do that for Kid. 

“You’re not such a hard ass after all, are you?” Law mused aloud. His words had nothing to do with the display of emotion, but the fact that Kid had done what he did for the good of not only himself, but for his sisters as well. He went out of his way to root out any similar corruption he came across in the world. Kid was flawed; he had a short temper, he was sometimes dense and too quick to action, he was violent and crude and power-hungry… but he was a good person in spite of it all. Law was almost surprised to find that one person could be all those things at once. 

“... somebody needed to care about them,” his voice so shaky it had started to show in his hands, Kid closed his eyes and just let the tears fall silently. Even in his pain he couldn’t help but be torn between a sense of embarrassment and an almost overwhelming release of pressure. For whatever reason, he’d needed this. Needed somebody - no, needed Law - to know. 

Falling into silence, Law laid on his side and kept rubbing his fingers against Kid’s scalp - consciously, now, not having it in him to pull his hand away. It felt important that he didn’t stop. It didn’t feel like there was much left to say, either, so he let the lull in the conversation swell between them but at no point did it feel awkward. He knew now that Kid was far stronger than he ever could have guessed.

It wasn’t until fifteen, twenty minutes later that Kid finally found his voice again. The tears had stopped a while before and he’d spent the rest of the time just trying to remember what it felt like to live in his body, to breathe, to feel whole. Law’s nearness, the movement of his fingers, helped more than anything else. Perhaps that’s where he found the bravery to ask his next question, “... what are you thinking?”

“That you had shitty parents who got what they deserved,” came the immediate reply, an edge of hostility in his tone that surprised even Law. To feel so strongly about people he’d never met, people who had never personally crossed him… that was unusual. It spoke to the depths at which he cared, depths that were murky and growing so deep that he could no longer see the bottom. 

This time, the huff of Kid’s response sounded much more genuine and completely in agreement, “Yeah.” It felt safe now, at least mostly, to turn his head to face Law and make eye contact for the first time since he’d started talking. Though he was nervous to see what might be written on Law’s face and in his expression, Kid took the risk - maybe, just maybe, Law wouldn’t be looking at him like he was a fucking disease. 

When Kid finally met his gaze, Law returned it unflinchingly. Nothing had changed for him, except perhaps that his respect for the other man had grown. There was also a sense of growing safety that Law felt; that when and if he shared his own past, Kid would somehow understand.

Finally, a smile broke over Kid’s face. It was uncertain, and a little lopsided, but it was there. But Law was only able to see it for a moment before Kid shifted to press his face into Law’s chest and wrap what he could of himself around the smaller man. It was a tangle of limbs and his breathing was a bit stifled, but like this he was beginning to feel whole again.

Grunting at the sudden change in position, Law tensed for a moment but it was only a moment. Kid had shown him how comfortable he could be with easy affection and Law knew he must need it right now. Rolling onto his back, Law took Kid with him, the other man’s head resting comfortably on his shoulder. “...didn’t think we’d have this conversation when I first saw you in town today.”

Another quiet, muffled, but genuine chuckle floated to his ears at that, Kid’s response soft, “Me either.” Full, coherent sentences finally felt possible again as he found himself encircled by a sense of warmth, a sense of safety in Law’s arms, “... Never really planned on anybody but Killer knowing that.”

“...yeah.” Though there was a sense of safety with Kid like this, Law was starting to feel a sense of trepidation creep in. Kid would expect some sort of equivalence from him; if not now, then soon. Though Law had experienced bouts of catharsis in sharing what little bits he had revealed, he didn’t feel ready for the rest of it, “That kind of shit isn’t easy to share.”

At that Kid nodded a little, feeling sleep start to tug at his body. He was mentally and emotionally drained, even though the conversation had gone better than he ever could have hoped. But there was one more thing he needed to get across to Law, one more thing that felt paramount to explain, “... Kill grew up with me. Same town. … he knew. About it. He… helped me. … Ran with me. Took care of me. He’s… I owe him. More than I could ever repay.”

It made sense why Killer was so protective of his captain. They were more than just commander and second, they had been through most of their lives at each other’s side. Though Law didn’t know anything about Killer’s life, he had to imagine there had been some sort of sacrifice the blond had made to leave with Kid, “...yeah. I kinda figured. Makes it a little harder to hate him for insisting on getting into pissing contests with me over you.”

This time, Kid sounded a little sheepish, like he was still trying to settle the spat between them even now, “... I told him not t’do that…” Finally feeling settled, Kid pressed his nose a little harder into the ruched fabric across Law’s shoulder, inhaling his scent and finally giving up on the concept of fighting sleep. This was a safe place. He could rest here, at least for a little while.

Law could tell by the sleep-slurred sound of Kid’s voice that he was going to be here for awhile. Now that the intensity of the moment had passed, Law wasn’t sure what to do with the fact that Kid had just bared his soul. There was still the sense of anxiety that as soon as the redhead woke up, he would expect Law to do the same in return. But things between them were peaceful right now, and almost equally as strong as the anxiety was a sense of… pride. Pride that Kid had chosen him of all people to share his past with. 

Law’s instincts were right and within a few short minutes, Kid was out at his shoulder, the occasional snore his only contribution to the ambiance of the room. But he stayed close even in slumber, twitching every time Law moved like he was afraid the other man was going to pull away. It was far too early to sleep through the night, but as Kid began to rouse around an hour later, he found that the nap was more than enough to help him feel whole again and far less fragile. Shifting slightly as he awoke, the redhead groaned and twisted his neck to the side, wincing at a tense muscle somewhere under his skin.

Fortunately, either Kid was a deep sleeper or Law was adept at being subtle and quiet. He used his power (and a transponder snail) to have food and drinks delivered to his room. Penguin had been kind enough to bring him one of his medical journals to read to pass the time and had only spared a passing curious glance at the redhead passed out on his captain’s shoulder. Once he became aware that Kid had roused, Law set the journal down and reached for the water on the nightstand. “Thirsty?”

Kid’s only response to that was a nod, grimacing slightly as he pushed himself up on one elbow and rubbed at the offending spot for a moment before taking the glass from Law’s hand. Half the glass was gone in one long gulp but it brought Kid around to full awareness. Shifting into a seated position, he nursed the glass in one hand then, quiet for a moment before he looked to Law, “... we… good?”

Following Kid’s lead, Law sat up and arranged himself until he was sitting cross-legged on the bed across from the other man. He smirked a little, but it lacked the usual sharp edge. “What, did you think you would tell me everything and I’d get scared and take off? Or be so disgusted I couldn’t stand the thought of being close to you? Give me some credit, Captain Kid; I’m not a coward and you’re not that scary. You may be fucked up, but so am I. It’s actually… kind of nice. To know that there’s a reason we understand each other as well as we do.” 

Finally, finally, Law earned himself one of the big grins that more commonly covered Kid’s expressive face. His laugh was richer then too, honest and far easier than before, “It is.” Nodding a little he finished off the water and set the cup to the side, busying himself with menial tasks for a moment before deciding to reach out and grab one of Law’s hands in both of his, brushing his thumb over the letters inscribed on the back of each knuckle, “... Someday I hope you’ll tell me why. About all this. You.”

The anxiety from earlier quivered through the tips of his fingers, but Law held it back. Whether or not Kid expected it from him, he did feel like he owed the redhead something. How quickly Kid had bounced back from sharing his own experiences emboldened Law somewhat and he nodded before slowly pulling both hands back into his lap. “...it’s easier when you ask questions. What do you want to know the most?”

Rather than answer right away, Kid allowed Law’s hands to slip from his grasp and gave that question serious thought. There were a million things he could think to ask, but when it came down to it, so much about who Kid was as a person was wrapped up in Centaurea. His background, his relationship with Killer, what set him on this path… it all started there. He wanted to know about Law’s start, too. Even if - or maybe, especially if - it was bad. If that were the case, he could help Law the way that Law had helped him. At least, he hoped, “... Where are you from?”

Perhaps only because he’d been prepared for the worst did Law avoid jolting at the question. He hated how weak he felt whenever the subject was broached. The stark black lettering on Law’s knuckles stood out sharply against the sudden whiteness of his fingers as they clenched into fists. “...I don’t want to answer that right now…” Law replied finally, as honestly as he could manage in the moment. 

Kid took that in stride, nodding almost immediately and reaching out again, capturing one of Law’s hands and gently tracing his thumb along the ridge of his bottom knuckle, “Okay. That’s okay.” And it was, it truly was. Kid didn’t want to force Law into anything. But he did want to be here, to support him, to know everything about who he was, not just the good things or the easy things, ‘… Do y’know when you’ll wanna tell me?”

Law had pulled his shoulders forward defensively almost before he even spoke, expecting that he would have to argue that just because Kid had shared everything didn’t mean Law had to reciprocate. It felt like his brain shorted out for a moment as he processed Kid’s words, realizing he wouldn’t have to justify himself. Actually answering the question took a moment, trying to decide how to put a time frame on something so nebulous, “...the next time you ask me.”

Kid’s eyes widened slightly at that response, the shock of it evident enough for a moment. But rather than decide to abuse Law’s answer, as would have been so easy to do, Kid only nodded respectfully and bent over, brushing his lips over the back of Law’s hand as had become his habit, “Okay.” He would wait until things seemed right, until something suggested to him that Law would be ready to share. He could do that. It’s what Law deserved, anyway.

As Kid had slept, the certainty that he would be harassed into sharing the details of his life had weighed on him to the point it was almost stifling. Now that pressure was gone and Law almost didn’t know what to do in its absence. In his experience, everyone wanted something. No one would give that kind of information away for free and had Law been the first to share he knew he would have felt that same way. 

But for Kid to be so selflessly understanding… fuck, what kind of relationship was he getting himself into, exactly? Not to mention the fact that he actually meant it; Law was honestly intending on telling Kid the truth. Swallowing around the lump in his throat, Law nodded a little. “Yeah. There’s… food. To eat. Here, if you want it.” It seemed that coherent speech was also stuck in his throat and he felt stupid for getting so needlessly worked up.

Never one to pass up the opportunity, Kid helped himself to a chunk of bread, smearing jam over half of it before starting to eat. That helped him feel better too, calming even further as the air in the room seemed to grow lighter. Once his snack was gone Kid shifted position again, moving to sit beside Law instead of across from him. It was easy enough from there to loop his arm lazily around Law’s waist and pull him in close, pressing them together along their sides like he was closing a seam.

Law watched Kid eat without any appetite of his own, looking on as the other man seemed to re-inflate like a sail filling with wind. Kid had done something that in Law's mind was so insurmountable he couldn't help but feel a bit of awe for the other man at how quickly he’d recovered. Deep in his thoughts, Law moved mechanically when Kid shifted positions, leaning into the redhead’s side like it was the most natural thing he’d ever done. 

The silence was companionable for a few minutes as Kid allowed the feeling of being full settle in and was grateful, as always, that that sensation was no longer unusual for him. But there was one last thing that needed to be said and though he may have sounded a little shy as the words came out, what he had to say was too important to let that stop him, “... Thanks. For letting me talk. For… listening.”

Snorting in disbelief, Law pulled back to stare up at Kid. “...why are you thanking me?” That earlier sense of wonder seeped into his words as he spoke, giving more depth to his usual flat tone. Law couldn’t fathom why Kid would thank him - he’d been the one who did all the hard work and wasn’t asking for anything in return. 

Shrugging a little, Kid didn’t put too much effort into figuring out how to answer that question. He just felt grateful, so he decided to express it. “Because,” as though that summed everything up, Kid reached for another hunk of bread without letting Law leave his side. It was a bit of a reach and he may have grunted once or twice, but when he settled back down it was with victory in his hands.

“...right.” Law tried to imagine ever feeling grateful to someone for listening to what had happened to him but after a moment he decided he wouldn’t know until it happened, so it was pointless to dwell. Besides, watching Kid struggle to reach something Law could have made instantly appear in his hands was amusing enough to take his mind off the bizarre gratitude.

Content to let the conversation lapse for now, Kid busied himself with eating and didn’t worry too much about any crumbs that got on Law’s bed. Weird little doctor could clean it up with a thought, and to be honest it might make his power a little less nerve-wracking if Kid got to see him use it for maid duty. 

Frowning at the crumbs now littering his bed sheets, Law considered whether or not it was worth the effort to move each individual crumb to Kid’s hair. Deciding that messing with him like that after the conversation they’d just had was probably poor timing, Law let it be; they could stand to be washed about now, anyway. “You know… there are a few things that make more sense now. I wondered what kind of parents would name their son ‘Kid’, but knowing they were addicts kind of explains that.”

That was a topic that, at this point, just made Kid snort. He’d come to accept the truth of his name long ago and had made it his own in the most spectacular way possible. But that wasn’t really the whole story, “They didn’t. Least, that’s what Lyssa said.” Shrugging a little, as it didn’t really didn’t bother him, Kid elaborated further, “Guess from when I was real young I just always pissed ‘em off so bad they called me “Kid” instead. I don’t remember ever hearin’ my “real” name. I don’t even know what it was supposed’t be.”

“Huh. Guess that makes sense too.” Propping his chin ins his hand while his elbow rested on one knee, Law studied Kid for a moment before grinning a little. “Your birth name could be anything. Eberhard.” It was childish, perhaps, but thinking up the most ridiculous names he could and ascribing them to Kid was nonetheless entertaining.

“Naw,” laughing a little, Kid playfully nudged Law’s elbow off his knee so his chin would lose its resting spot, “too hard t’say.” How was it he’d managed to just share everything he had and yet feel so at ease and peaceful? … There really was something special about Trafalgar Law, wasn’t there? Something Kid couldn’t place. Something valuable. Something important. Law was important, wasn’t he? To Kid. As that realization, in those words, finally dawned on Kid he felt a little stupid, all the sudden. Why had it taken so long to realize that?

The playfulness helped cement the fact that things really were still normal between them. Law jerked forward when his balance was thrown off, but he turned smoothly to follow the momentum, shoving Kid onto his back. “Hans? No. Karl? Gunnar?” As he spoke, Law climbed on top of Kid, straddling his waist briefly before lowering himself down to lay across the other man’s chest. He had learned to be comfortable with the closeness, but more importantly, Kid liked it. Law was willing to give that to him.

Laughing as Law manhandled him into position, the rich sound filled the room and made the whole space brighter. Thinking through Law’s proposed options, Kid did choose to make one comment, “Gunnar? I kinda like that one.” Once Law had finally determined he was satisfied with his current placement and settled, Kid wrapped his arms around the smaller man as easy as breathing, a wicked little grin moving to cross his face as he spoke, “So… Law short for Lawrence, then?”

Huffing, Law looked down at Kid from his perch on the other man’s chest. “Law isn’t short for anything. And don’t change the subject, _I’m_ making fun of _your_ name. Archibald.” Law ducked down to kiss Kid before he could argue further; he was actually pretty fond of his name, but hated Lawrence. Penguin had called him that for almost a year when they first met once he learned it grated on Law, and he wasn’t about to go repeating that now with Kid.

Yet again, it was laughter that bubbled up against Law’s lips as Kid did his best to return the kiss through it. Squeezing his arms tight around Law for just a moment, Kid soaked it in as the warmth and the safety of their affection rush through him. What a mad, wonderful world he seemed to inhabit with this man. Somehow, he’d reached a point where he couldn’t fathom the thought of losing it.


	27. *I See You

In the three months that passed since Law submitted his bid to be the next Warlord, he and Kid had spent time in each other’s company a whopping six times, though the frequency of their conversations over transponder snail grew after the first month. It was almost to the point that Law had trouble sleeping unless he’d spoken to Kid; the calls were almost exclusively at night once the other captain had wound down for the day, completed whatever step of his journey for the Poneglyphs he was on, and saw to it that his crew were settled in. 

Law had never had such a consistent nighttime ritual before and it was doing wonders for his sleep patterns. He always took the calls in his cabin for privacy and his body was given time to relax in the comfort of his own bed, racing thoughts kept at bay by conversation - innocent or otherwise - and by the time Kid drifted to sleep Law found himself close behind. 

Even considering the welcome distraction that Kid provided, Law grew more and more restless over time. Kid’s knowledge of the Poneglyphs grew by leaps and bounds over those three months - it was amazing how much could be learned by having the relative safety of a steady place to call home coupled with the focused intent of a powerful crew - and Law couldn’t help but be jealous. He wouldn’t know what his next step was until he knew if this bid had worked.

For his part in things, Kid was so close to actually seeing one of the famed Poneglyphs in person that it imparted an actual, bone deep ache in him. He wanted, so badly, to have physical, tangible proof of progress, wanted one of those things in his possession. Or, at least, a rubbing. One of the few respites he ever got was from those nightly calls, Law somehow managing to get his mind to quit churning over that desperate need. 

Luckily, it was that time of night again. Settling in, Kid threw the blanket off his bed, unwilling to be covered after having dealt with the oppressive heat all day. That done he slid under the sheet and reached for the phone, dialing the number he’d memorized by heart weeks ago at this point. Recently, he’d gotten huffy if Law had taken more than two rings to answer. Really, the only thing that had been complicated about the whole process was Yara’s insistence that, sometimes, she got to sleep in Kid’s bed with him. It had taken a bit of back and forth, but he’d acquiesced when she agreed to wear earplugs. 

This particular day had Law keyed up beyond reason. In looking for a distraction, he’d willingly participated in the poker tournament Clione had been planning for some time. He and some of the others had expressed an interest in learning more about various gambling games outside of the free-for-all, damn the rules, pirate-style cards they usually played and had landed on poker as a good starting point. It had been pretty funny watching Ikkaku, Penguin, and Uni, their three main cheaters, struggling to play an honest game.

As the sun sank lower in the sky, however, Law grew to anticipate the call he was surely to receive - Kid had skipped the last two nights but like hell would he admit to being worried - so he tapped out and retreated to his room preemptively. It was a good thing, too; the transponder snail chattered out its alert to an incoming call only thirty minutes after he’d gone below deck. It barely had time to complete the first ring before Law answered, “How kind of you to grace me with your aural presence.” 

“I love hearin’ you say y’missed me,” the grin on Kid’s face came through loud and clear in his tone, knowing that he was going to earn a frown from Law without even needing to see it. Tucking himself back against the wall of the cavern so he could allow the cool touch of the stone to help moderate his body heat even further, Kid tucked his pillow on top of his arm before settling against it, “You too, Law.”

“Why would I miss your nasally voice assaulting my ears?” Law replied, deadpan in spite of the fondness he felt. A good amount of tension slowly diffused from his limbs at hearing Kid again; the gap in their conversations happened, sometimes. Kid was keeping himself busy and wasn’t always in a convenient enough situation to call. Still… they’d been talking on a near-nightly basis for going on six weeks and to have that stop without any warning had made him anxious. 

A laugh then, easy, “Who else y’talkin’ to at night, never been nasally in m’life.” He had been busy, it was true, and he was full to bursting with energy. Tomorrow was a big day for him and he couldn’t help but spit it out, the desire to share his taut excitement with Law too sharp to ignore, “Gonna be gone for a couple days after this.” He did pause then, for a moment, the drama queen in him wanting to let the tension build before he revealed why, “I found one, Law. And I know how t’get to it.”

A burst of jealousy and an answering pop of pride filled him like fireworks exploding in the night sky. Feeling himself smile, Law rolled onto his back and moved the transponder snail to his chest, giving the little creature an easy place to rest. “Well. Look at you. Guess that intel from Osera was good for something after all.” It was months ago that Law had Kid meet with the executive from the resident island’s largest crime family, but it had paid off in a big way for all of them. 

Law and Kid both had worked to cripple a rival looking to expand outside the border of the island and earned a few favors of their own. Given that the Poneglyph Kid was after was owned by an Emperor, Law was grateful he’d been able to find the other captain something useful in his quest. Going about things with a plan in place would likely save him from getting maimed, at the very least; it wasn’t smart to go being reckless with any of the Emperors.

Nodding a little, Kid crossed one ankle over the other as he curled his knees slightly inward, trying to decide how he wanted to be positioned, “I just need a rubbing. In and out, quick, before anybody notices. I can get that.” What he’d do with it after, he still had to figure out, but what was the point in worrying about how to read it if you didn’t have it to read in the first place?

“A rubbing is all you need, hm?” Law snickered, childishly playing with the potential lasciviousness of that statement, “I’m not that far away; if that’s all you need it’s a short boat ride across the channel. Though, I’m not sure I’m into the kind where you’d be in an out quick, and I’d definitely want to notice.” 

The groan that came through the phone line at that was loud and clear, played up a bit for teasing emphasis but still genuine nonetheless, “Fuckin’ horndog. I just got you off like… five days ago.” Not that Kid minded, not really. He felt a sense of both duty and pride in taking care of Law’s physical desires and it had actually challenged him to be far more creative than he’d ever thought would have been possible in that realm. He wouldn’t deny how thrilling it was to hear Law’s choked gasp come across the line whenever Kid shocked him with something filthy and new. 

“Hey, you said it, not me.” Law left it at that, though. He wasn’t actually in the mood for anything other than that tease, still so worked up from all the waiting and uncertainty. “...how long is a couple days? Literally two or are you just using vague phrasing?” Law didn’t want to sound desperate, but it was important to him that Kid was close at hand when he finally did get word. It wouldn’t feel right, finding out by himself.

“Like… four, I think,” what had worked in his favor was that the actual Poneglyph in Red-Haired Shanks possession was too large to cart around on any of his ships and, so very lucky for Kid, was stashed on a tiny island about two days sailing from here. But Kid caught on to the tremor in Law’s voice, the hint that something about that may have upset the other man. He didn’t like that, “... I can still call you, though, yeah?”

“Yes. Of course. Obviously,” teasing forgotten for now, Law exhaled deeply, feeling the air as it emptied his lungs and trying to focus on that rather than the fine trembles shaking his limbs. He hated being so still, and hearing that Kid was so close to something huge only made his own waiting that much more impossible. “...I just get a feeling I’ll hear something soon.”

“Fucking hope so,” Kid’s response was immediate and heartfelt. “Of course, never expect the fuckin’ government t’do anything quick,” he’d teased from time to time about how big, bad, Worst Generation Pirate Trafalgar Law was so (im)patiently waiting for the bureaucracy to churn through its million and one steps for considering a new Warlord like a good little boy, but he knew that in truth it grated on Law more than anything. He wanted the other man to have his answer almost as badly as Law wanted it himself, “Hope you’re right. What gives the feeling?”

The truth was irritatingly complicated. Exhaling sharply this time, Law considered how deep he wanted to go with his answer. It didn’t have to be more than to explain it was just instinct, but that nagging feeling that he owed Kid more of his truth had not gone away in the two months since he’d learned the full extent of what the redhead had suffered. It was that, more than anything, that decided for him. 

“...the island where I was born had a pretty strong religious influence, especially where I lived. Most of my teachers were nuns. We were taught to see God’s symbols in everyday life. And I kept… I saw a shit load of seagulls this week. Like, more and more every day. It just… feels like something.” Though Law didn’t give any sort of actual credence to that sort of symbolism and had long since stopped believing in any sort of higher power, he hadn’t been in one place with nothing to do in a very, very long time. That stillness lent itself to habits that had been ingrained in him since birth, habits he usually had enough distractions to ignore. 

Until now, apparently.

Kid’s response to that was instantaneous as well, contempt curled around every word, “Yeah, fucking birds have been shitting all over the Rose’s deck, little bastards.” But he was less interested in discussing the logistics of cleaning up his ship and far more interested in the new details Law had just given him, almost so casually it felt unnerving. “Nuns, huh?” the question was a little bewildered as Kid tried to wrap his head around the idea of Law inside a church. He had to follow it up with another little tease, though, “Aww, bet you were such a cute, good, pious little boy.”

“Fuck you,” Law replied immediately, though it was with an undercurrent of amusement. He wanted to insist he’d always been the atheist brat he was currently, but that wasn’t strictly true. While he hadn’t had the unwavering faith of his father and sister, Law had believed in the religious teachings he’d grown up with until he saw it all burn. “...had to wear little knee socks and everything. Not really my style anymore.” 

“If y’want to,” Kid offered in response, grinning to himself. Law wasn’t the only one capable of dirty innuendo when the opportunity presented itself and Kid never passed up the opportunity. He did so like to imagine Law squirming at his words, after all. Carrying on with the conversation, the redhead decided to keep playing with that suggestive train of thought, “Hm… maybe y’should put ‘em on for me. Just that, nothing else. I’ll tell ya if it works.”

Snorting with surprised laughter, Law couldn’t help but internally remark on how easily Kid made him feel… light, “Yeah? You want me to play the naive, church-going virgin for you to corrupt, while we’re at it?” Law was careful with his phrasing, tuned in to the potential sensitivity of his words with Kid in a way he was with very few others. 

There was a brief pause before Kid answered, as though he was trying to parse through how to take that, but after a moment his breath came easy and so did the response, the affection in his tone clear even as he poked fun at Law, “Don’t think you can act that good.” Straightening his bottom leg and shifting his top foot to also press back into the stone behind him, Kid finally found himself comfortable enough to relax fully into the mattress underneath him, “Besides, y’sound so good when yer beggin’ for it.”

“I’m a great actor,” Law grumbled, though he knew that his skill with deception was not the same kind of acting that he had just been talking about. “That’s all for your benefit, by the way. I could just choose not to at any time,” not that he would. Not when Kid clearly enjoyed it so much. 

“But y’don’t and that makes it so much fuckin’ better,” Kid never had even a shadow of doubt that Law purposefully let go of some of his control when they were together in those situations. He had learned long ago that if Law wanted to do - or not do - something, he would absolutely get his way, no matter what. If the other man wanted to remain quiet, he would have done so even under pain of injury and death. So when he was loud, when he did beg, when he gasped through the phone… Kid treasured and respected every one of those sounds as a gift.

Law had come to know the subtleties of Kid’s tone and phrasing through the weeks they’d been speaking like this. It was easy enough to pick up the borderline reverence in his words and Law felt warmth bloom through his chest at the idea that something so simple meant so much. And, not for the first time, marveled at the fact that it mattered to him. Kid… mattered to him, “Just don’t get yourself too caught up in anything. If it’s good news and you’re not here, I’m not gonna wait to celebrate.”

At that Kid laughed, as though that threat actually carried any weight, “You’re gonna have to, the way I know you’re gonna wanna celebrate with me.” When Law was happy, he’d come to realize, Law was horny and if Law got offered the position of Warlord, he was going to want to fuck. “Unless you suddenly developed a thing for bears,” he commented then, as he did whenever the chance arose, knowing Law was not a fan of the suggestion he’d ever wind up bumping uglies with Bepo.

Law was unable to hide the groan in his voice. “In case you’ve forgotten, you’re the one with the mysterious cave camp in the woods. There is a port city a fifteen minute walk away with plenty of warm bodies.” It wasn’t until just then that Law realized… he hadn’t been with anyone else since this thing with Kid had started. He hadn’t _wanted_ to be. 

If there was one skill Kid had, it was the confidence to know when he had someone’s attention. And he knew he had Law’s in all the right ways, “Yeah, but those warm bodies ain’t me. Told you, you’re gonna want me.” As his eyes began to slide closed, the warm siren song of sleep starting to call for him, Kid murmured a little more softly into the receiver, “Tell me that. That you’ll want me.”

“Cocky fucker,” Law grumbled in a way that was undeniably good natured. “Yeah, fine. You win. You already know what I want, anyway.” His stubbornness made it difficult to come out and say it; he usually had trouble being direct about this kind of thing. But Law also knew that it was probably not something Kid heard all that much in his life, and in the end he deserved it. “...I’ll want _you_ to be here.”

The smile that broke over Kid’s face was so obvious it could almost be seen through the phone line, “I want t’be there too.” And he did. He wanted to see Law get one step closer to his goals, he wanted to be there to yell and cheer and drink and celebrate with the people Law cared about, and then he wanted to be alone with the dark-haired man and reward him for his hard work in whatever way Law desired.

Though Law still didn’t feel relaxed enough for sleep, he no longer felt like he was standing on the edge of a cliff. “Enough sappy nonsense. Go to sleep,” he was smiling as he spoke, imagining the dopey look on Kid’s face as the redhead started falling asleep. There was a persistent, impossible to ignore feeling of fondness for the other man, and while he had once been annoyed by it, Law had come to accept that it was just a part of his life now.

“Mhmm,” Kid’s soft groan of acceptance for that concept was as regular and familiar as the movement of the tides at this point. He always wound up drifting off to the sound of Law’s voice - it was calming, just talking through things that did or didn’t matter until nature took its course. “G’night,” he managed in a soft slur, wanting to ensure that Law was going to get some rest too, “g’to… sleep well, too…”

Humming softly in response, Law let the conversation lull until he could hear Kid’s even breathing as he fell asleep. Though sleep remained elusive to him, the sound of Kid’s subtle shifting and deep breaths were soothing enough that he was at least able to relax.

As the next day dawned, the seagulls remained; in fact, the flock kept growing and growing. Law could only hope it actually symbolized what he was reading into it - he was so desperate for news and a next step it hurt.

Law wasn’t the only one who’d noticed the increasing gull presence around their little archipelago. On the day he’d left to take his shot at reaching the Poneglyph, he’d told his rearguard to keep him abreast of any changes during his check-in calls. As each day passed and the anecdotal evidence suggested the size of the flock was steadily growing, Kid became almost frantic in his drive to get the needed rubbing and return. 

It had been a rather harrowing journey - Shanks wasn’t going to leave his treasure unguarded, of course - but early afternoon four days later found Kid victorious, four rubbings from the Poneglyph in question hidden somewhere on the bodies of him and his men. That done he couldn’t help but turn his thoughts to the reports from back at base camp, the freakishly large population of seagulls making him wonder if there was some truth to this whole symbols thing after all. 

It was a day and a half long journey back. At least, it was under normal conditions, for a normal person. But Kid was not normal and Kid was determined that his trip back was going to take one day, if not less. Damned any wind, weather, or man that tried to get in his way. Good thing, too, as it was on day five that a Marine ship showed up on the island bearing Law’s news in person. 

Although the island was essentially one big criminal organization, they were so insular that the World Government didn’t particularly care what they did on their little piece of land so long as it didn’t affect the affairs of others. Still, the Marines knew they were not welcome and were not there to cause a fuss, so they simply dropped anchor off the coast and sent a bird with a summons for Law and his officers. 

Law was surrounded on the deck of the Polar Tang as he read the letter silently to himself. There was nothing definitive, just that Captain Brody from Marine HQ requested his presence to discuss his bid for Warlord. After reading through it three times, Law straightened, arms falling to the sides and taking the summons with it. “...Marines want a chat in an hour.”

The crew spread around him looked a mix of curious, dubious, and hopeful, but it was Penguin, in his role of second, who spoke up first, “... Where, Captain?” He, and likely many of the others, were very concerned with the Marines trying to pull one over on Law, use this as an excuse to capture and humble a member of the Worst Generation. They certainly weren’t about to let that happen, but it didn’t mean avoiding it would be easy, were that the Marines’ actual goal.

“Their ship, of course.” Law had enough self-preservation to be wary. This could potentially be the perfect trap because if he wanted to be the next Warlord, he would need to trust the Marines. He could read the same unease on the faces of his crew. “We’ll assume it’s a trap. I’ll take Bepo and Penguin with me; they can handle themselves if I get caught up in seastone. Shachi, bring the Polar Tang underneath their ship. We’ll bring a baby transponder snail and keep the line connected so you’ll know if you need to intervene.” 

The response he got was so immediate and so in sync that it would have been comical if it hadn’t been so serious, a sharp series of Law’s title and emphatic cries of disagreement. There was a clamor of voices then, but it was finally Ikkaku’s that cut through as she managed to sum up everyone’s concerns at a tone loud enough to be heard over everyone else, “Three of you up against an entire Marine ship? Not a good plan, Captain. We need more contact than just one snail, that’s too risky, too easy to drop or for them to break the line somehow.”

“Then the three of us will have snails. The whole point of this is to show some level of trust between us and the Marines. Being a Warlord means cooperating,” Law knew the game perfectly well, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t going in without a back up. “Don’t worry, Ikkaku. I’ll make sure Penguin stays safe,” he grinned a little, teasing them as a way to bring levity to the crew.

This one time, Ikakku didn’t rise to the bait, the frown on her face holding steady through all of Law’s commentary. “Yeah, we get that, and it’ll work fine if they’re here to offer you the gig,” the unspoken ‘but’ in Ikkaku’s words was loud and clear. Nobody in the crew was willing to risk their captain like this, not with only an hour to prepare and such a flimsy plan on the table, “We need more human eyes on that deck. I want a spot in the rigging. We got to trust them, they got to trust us too.”

“What do you propose?” Law was willing to hear them out with the time that they had, but ultimately he couldn’t turn down the Marine’s offer. Not if it was legitimate. Using Shambles, Law brought up a table from the dining quarters, as well as maps of the island and surrounding waters, compasses, baby transponder snails and blank paper. Simply talking this through wouldn’t be efficient; they might as well do it right.

It wound up being fast and aggressive, but by the time the conversation was over it had proven fruitful. The end agreement was that the three Law proposed at the beginning would still be the primary group to set foot on deck, but that Jean Bart would attend as well to provide intimidating muscle and Ikkaku would perch in the rigging to secure herself a spot over the water - that way, if things went really sideways, she could dive in and alert the submerged Polar Tang without needing to rely on a snail for communication. 

And so it was, some forty minutes later, that the five of them boarded their skiff before the Polar Tang sank below the waves. As they made for the Marine ship anchored elsewhere, Ikkaku made their last agreed upon point very clear; she was determined to secure full obedience, “I board first and get to my spot. If they don’t let me up and don’t leave me alone, NONE of you set foot on their ladder, much less their deck. Promise again!”

Ikkaku had always been outspoken, but she seemed to have really found her voice in recent months. “Should I seal my promise in blood?” Law asked, eyebrow raised. He honestly didn’t mind it when his own crew got bossy, not in situations like this anyway. He was becoming more and more open to signs that he was cared for, “We will be halfway across the channel before they can even blink if they refuse. I promise.”

She pursed her lips for a moment, but at her Captain’s calm reassurance that he would indeed listen, she finally nodded and settled with a soft huff. The pointed look she gave Penguin also made it clear she would beat him about the head for any idiotic “rescue attempts” he might make should things go wrong - they all knew that Law was best suited to get her away from the Marines if the need arose. 

With their agreements in place, Law gestured for Jean Bart to begin the trek to the anchored Marine vessel. It wasn’t a long journey, and as they grew closer Law could see the Marines lining the deck, nervously tracking their approach. Law met their stares with a feral grin; it boded well for his crew if the Marines were afraid. 

Bepo tied off the skiff once they were close enough, and a rope ladder was lowered for them to climb aboard. There was no hesitation from Ikkaku; she was halfway up before Bepo had even finished the knots. Reaching the top of the railing, she swung her legs over and surveyed the men gathered on the deck; she clearly hadn’t been who they were expecting. 

Wiggling her fingers at them gleefully in mock joy at their encounter, Ikkaku piped up with a surprisingly cheerful voice. “Morning, boys! As we can all probably figure, nobody’s feeling super trusting right now, though I’m sure that’ll change very soon! So I’m gonna go up there,” she pointed her finger skyward then, to ensure they were following along, “and you’re gonna stay down here. I get up there and you stay down here all good, then Captain will be up to parlay. Good? Good!” Without waiting for a response, Ikkaku confidently strode through them to the nearest mast. 

Flabbergasted at this strange girl’s demands, the captain stepped forward to block her path. “Excuse me, young lady. I can’t just allow you to come onto my ship and give orders. Who _are_ you, anyway?” The lookout in the crow’s nest had reported that Trafalgar was traveling with a woman, but he had not expected her to be his mouthpiece. She didn’t even have a bounty. 

“Oh, nobody important,” if there was one thing Ikkaku was not, it was easily cowed, “just a crew member of your government’s newest Warlord, that’s all.” Squaring up with the Marine Captain - Brody, she remembered Law say - Ikkaku didn’t get too pushy, but she didn’t back down either, “Now, if you’d like to tell him that that’s the job you’re here to offer, he’ll be happy to come aboard. As soon as I’m up there. You can understand, a pirate with his reputation and all, makes sense he’d want a lookout when he comes aboard a Marine ship, right? If we’re all on the up and up, no harm no foul, I just hang out in your rigging for a bit, maybe dangle from my knees a little, you guys finish talking, and I’ll hop down. Promise I won’t even touch a single knot.”

There was little he could do to argue; she wasn’t making an unreasonable request and Brody knew that cooperation was paramount in the early stages of an arrangement between the World Government and an unruly pirate. “If we’ve found you’ve tampered with our rigging, you will be held responsible,” he warned. “Tell your Captain to come up now, we don’t have time to waste with your shenanigans.”

Giving the man her most serene smile, Ikkaku bowed at the waist with a flourish before brushing her way past him and working her way up the mast as she had wished to do earlier. It wasn’t until she was up, in her preferred position, settled in, and had a chance to survey everything she could see from her vantage point - including the shadow of the Polar Tang as it moved beneath the Marine ship - that she signaled to Law it was safe for him to board. Like hell he, or any of them, were getting hurt on her watch.

Returning the wave with a sarcastic salute, Law stood. Rather than climb the ladder that was provided, he extended his Room out to the edge of the deck - so he didn’t seem threatening to the Marines by including them - and used Shambles to get himself and the rest of his fellows on board. He delighted in the chorus of shocked gasps that was their greeting and Law walked out from behind Jean Bart and Bepo, who he had placed on deck in front of him for added dramatic effect, “So nice of you to come all this way just for me. But you know, Captain, there’s a dock just a little ways away. Couldn’t find it?”

The man was dour-faced and decidedly not in the mood for Law’s smart ass comments, “We did not sail here to sling insults. You can join me at this table for honest discussion, or you and yours can leave.” As he spoke, Brody moved to the center of his deck, where a large table was laid out with the Marine insignia on one end and an over-sized, extravagantly lettered envelope sitting on the other, with Law’s name inscribed on the front. Coming to stand behind the symbol of his people, the man wrapped his fingers around the edge of the table and waited to see what Law’s next move would be.

Gesturing for Bepo, Penguin, and Jean Bart to follow, Law took his place at the other end of the table, “What have you called me all this way for? Or are you just building up tension further by dangling the answer in front of my nose?” Law reached for the envelope slowly, fairly certain he’d be breaking protocol by reading it before the other man had invited him to do so.

The look shot Law’s way made it abundantly clear that was indeed the case. Clicking his heels together officiously, the Marine gestured sharply with one hand, indicating that Law needed to hold up before he got grabby. Waiting to ensure compliance, Brody then crossed his arms and spoke as directly as he could, “You’ve been called here to discuss your bid for Warlord status. I would hope you had ascertained that yourself.”

“What is there to discuss? Has it been accepted or rejected? It’s a little hard to have a discussion when I don’t even know what direction we’re headed. I think you’d agree.” Law was aware he couldn’t antagonize this Captain Brody too much, but a little couldn’t hurt anything. If the powers that be decided he was suitable to fill the position, the complaints from one lone captain weren’t going to sway them the other way.

“The Vice Admiral will be having that discussion with you,” Brody intoned, stance still rather unwelcoming. But who was he to argue, after all the Warlords had done _so much good_ for the World Government, hadn’t they? “My job was to ensure your civility before he took over,” voice cool, the Marine gave Law a very obvious once over before he asked his final question, “so, are you prepared to be and remain civil and calm for the remainder of your time on this vessel?”

“Vice Admiral?” Law raised an eyebrow, a little smirk settling on his lips, “Flattering.” Holding his hands up placatingly, he hooked an ankle around the nearest chair leg, pulling it back enough to sit down. “I’ll behave. So will my crew. So long as we get the same courtesy from you.”

“We are men of respect and honor,” as though he was firmly convinced that was a more than sufficient answer, Brody nonetheless accepted Law’s decision to sit down and turned his head to the side slightly, ordering one of his men to go get the Vice Admiral. As the underling scurried away to do as he had been bidden, Brody stepped aside as well, to leave room for his better. 

And arrive soon enough he did. Stepping out from the bowels of the ship, the Vice Admiral in question tilted his face first to the sun before turning to look at Law. His beard was neatly - if somewhat oddly - trimmed and mirrored sunglasses covered his eyes. In all honesty, he looked as nondescript as any other marine except for the fact that, at the current moment’s time, he had a small teaspoon stuck along his left jawline. Not that it seemed to bother him at all, as he didn’t move to discard it even as he took up his position at the head of the table. 

The Marines hadn’t been outright welcoming, nor had they been openly hostile. If anything, the entire company seemed to be as on edge about this meeting as the four of his own he’d brought with him. Law felt confident as soon as he saw Ikkaku settling in the rigging and that feeling only grew as Captain Brody continued to put up with his attitude.

The confidence that’d filled him until that point faded to icy terror the moment the Vice Admiral set foot on deck. Law would never forget that man’s face. He would never forget begging him to help Cora-San, so desperate for assistance he went against his better judgement and turned to a marine when he knew better. So much hinged on this going well that Law knew he had to keep his rage to himself, but it felt impossible in the moment. All he could do was stare, wide-eyed and frozen as he watched Vergo approach.

The smirk that touched the Vice Admiral’s face then was wide and cocky and so very confident. He did nothing to hide it as he studied the pirate across from him, taking in every last detail to report back to his Master this evening. The clothes he wore, he crew he brought, the look on his face; all things that he knew, without even being told, would be of critical importance to the man in question. But of course, it was still his job to be a welcoming host. 

Gesturing toward Law with the sweep of an open arm, Vergo maintained a calm and neutral disposition, as though they hadn’t made acquaintance on that fateful day over a decade ago, as though he’d forgiven the scrawny child in front of him for almost tearing down what his Master had spent so many years building. It didn’t matter that all Law had done was borne the message, what mattered was that - had he brought it to anyone else - it would have crippled the most important man on this planet. 

Yet his tone, as he made his introductions, was as smooth as steel on ice, “Vice Admiral Vergo, acting representative of Fleet Commander Sengoku. And you are Trafalgar Law, Surgeon of Death, member of the Worst Generation, bounty of $440,000,000, and perpetrator of the Massacre at Rocky Port, among other… indiscretions. Yet here you stand on a Marine vessel, currently unharmed. State your intentions.”

 _‘Don’t play dumb, asshole. You know who I am,’_ Law wanted to snarl, venomous hate coiling in his gut. It was only because he had trained for years to keep his expression neutral did he manage it now, in the face of one of the men responsible for Cora-san’s death. This was a test. He knew Vergo’s ultimate loyalties lay with Doffy and had no doubt that they were aware of his knowledge as well. If he had remained loyal to the family all this time, he would have no reason to hate Vergo for what he did. He couldn’t out the Vice Admiral for a myriad of reasons, nor could he let his true feelings show. 

The shocked expression Law had worn upon first seeing Vergo melted away as soon as it had come, replaced by a cocky grin, head tilted in interest. “I think I made my intentions quite clear with the hundred hearts I sent you. I imagine the reason it took so long to approve my promotion was because the World Government needed to verify they were not the hearts of innocents, am I right?”

Waving the question away with a gesture, Vergo only laughed in response, “Don’t worry yourself with the dealings of the World Government.” Moving to mimic Law’s position, Vergo helped himself to the rather grand chair beside him, crossing his right ankle over his left knee before nodding to the letter sitting in front of the other man, “You’ll find the response to your bid for Warlord enclosed. Once you have read it, you may ask me any questions that arise.”

“Oh, I’m allowed to read it now?” Law mused, reaching for the envelope once more. There was the faintest trembling in the tips of his fingers and he could feel Vergo’s eyes on him, wondering if he was the second family member of Doffy’s who had disappeared and resurfaced only to betray him. He ripped the envelope open, knowing the action would help hide the shaking, laying the parchment down the table top and folding his hands on the edge of the wood as he leaned over to read the contents of the letter.

It _was_ an invitation to join the ranks of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, after all, along with an outline of what was expected of him and his crew moving forward and the freedom they would be rewarded in exchange for their service. A second piece of parchment rested behind the first, mostly blank; he was to fill in the names of his crew, so that the Marines would know both who was protected by Law’s banner and who else they had, to some extent, under their control. 

Penguin, Bepo, and Jean Bart all read over Law’s shoulder shamelessly, unconcerned with the concept of their Captain catching them at it. They wanted to make sure that everything Law had worked so hard to accomplish was going to come to fruition and they couldn’t bear waiting even another second to find out the answer. For his part, Vergo sat quietly with his fingers tented against the bottom of his chin, though he watched Law with laser-like focus, reading into every twitch of muscle or hitch of breath the other man took.

Law had never been more grateful for all the training he’d put himself through. Outside of the feeling like there was something buzzing underneath his skin, there was no visual sign that anything was amiss. His initial reaction to Vergo’s presence could easily have been passed off as shock and any residual anger the result of having the shit beat out of him as a sick thirteen year old. 

As careful as he was, Law was aware of how every reaction could be read and he was confident he hadn’t given Vergo anything. Looking up once he’d carefully read through to catch any phrasing that might provide a loophole or a trap, Law let his confidence show through in his expression, “So all I have to do is list my crew and the deal is done?”

“Mostly,” Vergo’s intonation was monotonous, but level. He snapped his fingers only once but that was all it took to send one of the Marines behind him skittering to grab a bag resting just inside the stairwell. Shooting Law his most winning smile as the man began to unzip the container and reveal a camera, Vergo shrugged slightly as if to suggest he thought it was foolish, but who was he to refuse protocol, “We need a photograph for the newspapers. We’ll announce immediately. After your return of all necessary paperwork, of course.”

There was a pause, but it was only momentary; Law couldn’t help but wonder if it was really the newspaper that needed a recent photo. “...sure thing.” Undaunted, Law leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms, lifting his chin up definitely as he watched Vergo. He wasn’t going to pose like a damned Marine, that was certain; like hell he was going to pose at all. 

The grin that crossed Vergo’s face then was feral - look at how easily this cocky little thing played right into his hands. Without comment, Vergo held his hand out for the camera and lifted it to his face, taking time to ensure the photograph would be perfect before pressing on the shutter once, then twice, then three times. The first was at a distance, showing the letter spread out in front of Law as well; the second, cropped from the chest up; and the third a tight, detailed shot of his face. But none of those would suit the needs of the World Government. What a good thing that’s not who they were taken for.

Standing then, Vergo deposited the camera back into the arms of the hapless private who had collected it to begin with before making his way to the bow of the ship. He turned then so he was facing outward, the giant sail bearing the Marine logo at his back, “Come here, Trafalgar Law. The photograph in question must show the unity between my people and yours. It’s customary that we celebrate your acceptance with a handshake.”

Ready to get this damn visit over with and out of Vergo’s sight, Law pushed himself up, keeping the heavy sense of trepidation out of his gait as he approached the taller man with his hands in his pockets until he was an arm’s length away. Law heard the private with the camera scurrying after them and ignored him, thrusting his left hand out while the other remained where it was, “Pleasure doing business with you, Vice Admiral.”

“Your business was with Fleet Admiral Sengoku. I will pass on your pleasantries,” even as he spoke Vergo reached out to grasp Law’s hand, squeezing harder than was technically necessary as he turned toward the camera and allowed for the shot to be taken. That finished he gestured back to the table, leaving his parting words with one last jab at Law, “Complete that in full before you depart.”

“...yeah, please do pass my thanks on to your boss,” Law replied, subtle enough for the true message to go unnoticed by anyone within earshot. Once the camera shutter clicked, Law pulled his hand back and was already heading toward the table before Vergo could finish speaking. “I wouldn’t dream of forgetting your all-important paperwork,” he replied, swiftly noting the twenty three names belonging to his crew members. 

From there the departure went about as smoothly as their arrival, though Law’s four attendant crew members were basically buzzing with barely contained excitement as they waited to get far enough away from the Marines to celebrate as loudly and fervently as they wanted to. For his part, Law wanted to celebrate as much as they did, knowing now that he had some direction, some idea of where to go from here. Yet he couldn’t shake the feeling of violation that came with seeing Vergo again and the knowledge that those first few pictures were meant for the eyes of the man he was hell bent on destroying. 

As they finally boarded the Polar Tang the rest of the crew - already alerted to the outcome via an eager Penguin - immediately surged forward, screaming their joy to the ceiling with their captain’s new title ripe on their lips. The party atmosphere was almost instinctual at the moment, every boiler-suited body on the submarine ready and raring to celebrate Law’s success long through the afternoon and deep into the night. It was going to take him significant effort to even communicate to those around him over the din, much less locate and hold a sensible conversation over Transponder Snail.

As much as Law was looking forward to his own personal celebration later that day, this celebration right now belonged to him and his crew. He allowed himself to be hoisted on Bepo’s shoulders and paraded around the deck, relieved enough to relax into laughter at the cheers surrounding him. Vergo’s presence did not go unforgotten, but the atmosphere was far too positive right now for it to be at the forefront of his thoughts. 

Over the next few hours, what could basically be dubbed an impromptu, ship-based, Ruckus 2.0 commenced except this time, Law was most assuredly the King. His crew could not have been more proud and they showed every last ounce of support they had for their Captain through drinking, crying, yelling, and eating, every single one of them sharing at least twice how ecstatic they were for Law.

It took a full eight hours before Law felt it was right to slip away from his crew, transponder snail in hand as he locked his cabin door and dialed the number he no longer even needed to look at. The giddiness of one of the biggest steps in his plan actually working out in his favor had still not fully worn off, though Law was resolute in his intention to keep his tone and words to Kid vague; he wanted the other man to be there in person when he revealed the news.

It took a few rings longer than normal for Law’s call to be answered, the shifting sounds and confused grumbling coming faintly through the line clearly indicative of Law having woken Kid from slumber. But when the redhead finally managed to sort himself out and press the receiver to his ear, his voice was as warm as ever, if a little slurred, “Whassat… Law? Hi.”

Law was grinning the whole damn time. What a bastard. He wasn’t supposed to be grinning, Kid would hear it in his voice, but it was reflex now, “Did I interrupt your beauty sleep, Captain?” Forcing his tone into teasing neutrality in spite of the fact that his face was clearly just going to do whatever it wanted, Law leaned back against his headboard, legs crossed to stop them from bouncing. 

“Uh... “ blinking, Kid worked through processing those words before grunting and responding in the affirmative, “yeah.” But that was fine - he’d called earlier to say goodnight but Law hadn’t answered, which was not entirely unusual but still disappointing. It was worth being woken up to at least get to say goodnight.

“Well, wake up. Turns out I was right about the seagulls being a sign,” this time, the teasing left his tone and Law was careful to keep each word level so that Kid couldn’t read between the lines; couldn’t sense the excited, nervous energy that Law was practically vibrating with.

Though Law had already captured Kid’s attention just by virtue of calling, his words did help rouse Kid even further from sleep. Pushing himself up on one arm, he groggily wiped the sleep from his eyes as he worked to find the right words for the thoughts running through his mind, “Yeah? You hear about Warlord? You get it?” The hope in his voice couldn’t have been more clear. 

Rather than answering the question, Law carefully skirted around it. “How fast can you get here? Or should I come to you?” As soon as Kid arrived in port, he would hear the celebration that was clearly going to extend deep into the night, but Law wasn’t so committed to keeping it an absolute secret that he minded all that much. It just wouldn’t feel like a complete victory until Kid was there to share it with.

Grunting a little, Kid rolled over slightly to look at the still sleeping bundle pressed up against his back. She’d missed him in the days he was gone. Kid knew he wouldn’t want to disturb her by taking her back to her own room and in most cases he wouldn’t have even considered leaving her, but he had the feeling that tonight something special had happened, something that he wanted to share with Law. “... I’ll come t’you, just gimme a bit,” that decided, Kid gingerly pushed himself up into a sitting position, quiet as he bent down to press a feather-soft kiss to Yara’s forehead. 

“Right. Well. You know where to find me. See you soon.” Law sensed that there wasn’t anything else to say and he was too eager to wait around, so he ended the call and pulled himself up onto his feet. In the time it took Kid to arrive, Law had been convinced to try three of Uni’s mixed drink concoctions before making the rounds to tell everyone good night, all of which took nearly an hour. When Law returned to his cabin, he activated Room to extend beyond the Polar Tang and much of the dock; as soon as Kid arrived, he’d know it.

While Kid had been unwilling to wake Yara, that recalcitrance didn’t extend to Killer - no way in hell was he letting her wake up alone. Though his second bitched up a storm about his idiot captain’s idiot decisions to go wandering like an idiot into the night, he tucked himself into Kid’s bed anyway, as it wasn’t Yara’s fault she had an idiot for a brother. 

With that done Kid had made quick work of the journey, propelling himself across the channel with ease and tying off his skiff to the open dock he could find. From there it was an easy walk in the direction of the Polar Tang and he was rewarded when, as he had almost expected, the faint glow of Law’s Room appeared out of the darkness. It was with practiced, trusting ease that he stepped inside, letting the blue aura wash over his skin and speaking to the open air as he entered, “I’m here, Law. Come get me.”

As he waited, a few people had stepped into his Room, likely drawn in by the strange glow, but it just took a moment of concentration to determine they were not important. But as familiar as he was with Kid’s presence, Law didn’t hesitate to Shambles him on board, knowing it was the other captain as soon as he’d stepped in range. He dropped the larger man in the center of his bed while Law perched on the edge, grinning, “Hey.”

Landing with a soft thud and a slightly larger grunt, Kid shook his head for a moment as he tried to reorient himself before looking up at Law. It took only a split second to determine that the doctor’s grin said it all and Kid broke out into a loud bark of laughter, scrambling up onto his knees as he reached out to drag Law into a celebratory hug, “You got it, y’smug little fucker, didn’t you?!”

Allowing himself to be enveloped against Kid’s chest, Law pushed back just enough to look up at him. “No, I’m in mourning. This is my mourning face,” he insisted blandly, even as his eyes shined with victory, “I asked you to come here to cheer me up so I could overcome my woes.”

“Oh, I’ll help you ‘overcome your woes’ alright,” with another peal of laughter, Kid swiftly sank back onto his heels and dragged Law over his lap, pinning him down with one hand across his back. It was in swift succession then that one, two, three, four, five blows rained down on the soft flesh of Law’s behind, each one hard enough that it would have left a hand print, had it landed on bare skin, “That’s what y’get for lying t’me, Law.”

The only sound Kid got out of him was a surprised yelp. He was silent through each impact, and once Kid finished all Law had to do was concentrate the slightest bit and he was standing on the bed behind the redhead, looming over him. “You should really watch how you speak to a Warlord,” he warned before pulling back on Kid’s shoulders, pressing him down into the bed until he was laying flat, before twisting himself around to straddle Kid’s waist.

Though he put up a bit of a mock fight, Kid didn’t really put much effort into resisting Law’s demanding touch. It was his night, after all, his victory they were celebrating. Looking up at Law from his newly occupied spot on his back, Kid just grinned up at him, cheeky as can be, “Should I? Dunno, I’m not a government dog, so I don’t think so.”

Reaching out, long brown fingers wound around thick white wrists as Law pinned Kid to the mattress. The fact that the other man could easily pull away wasn’t lost on Law but that wasn’t the point; the point was that he knew Kid would ultimately let him have whatever it was he wanted in this moment, “I already have you at my mercy, dog or no.”

The way Kid bared his teeth then would have been intimidating to almost anyone else that had seen it, especially when coupled with the snarl that emanated from his throat. But it was all play and the way he wound one leg around Law’s waist made that abundantly clear, even as he snapped his teeth at the other man’s nose, as though he intended to bite it off if he could only get close enough.

“You’re acting more like a dog than me,” Law scolded, bending down to nose at the side of Kid’s neck. “Is this what you wanted?” he didn’t wait for a response, sinking his teeth into the side of the other man’s neck, though he was careful not to break skin. It followed the theme, at least; when one animal had another by the throat, it was the most dangerous way of establishing dominance. 

Whatever he’d been expecting, that hadn’t been it. Sure, Law had bitten, marked, and scratched him countless times by now, but it had never shot through him like that. This felt different and he felt his breath catch as his head tilted back of its own accord, baring his neck in something that looked a lot like submission. All of the sudden, out of what felt like nowhere, Law was radiating a completely different kind of desire and it was so strong it threw Kid completely off balance.

Holding Kid down like this and having him play into his hands had Law riding higher than he had in a long time. His tongue worked against the reddened bite mark for a moment before he pulled back with a look of dark triumph. “That’s better. Now you know your place,” Law teased as he lifted himself up to hover over Kid once more, dipping down for a kiss that he’d intended to be brief but ended up being anything but. Kid brought out something in him beyond just base desire; passion, perhaps, was the correct term. But lately, more than that, Law had found such comfort in their closeness that it wasn’t just sex at all he was after. The intimacy he had once shunned and belittled was something that mattered to him now. 

His eyes pressed closed the moment that Law pressed their lips together and he lifted his hands to Law’s upper arms as he deepened their kiss, holding onto him so tightly it’s as though he was afraid the other man would vanish somehow. Though it wasn’t sexual desire that ran through him, he wanted Law nonetheless, craved the physical nearness, the touches and caresses, the intimacy. Seeing Law so flush with raw victory made his heart soar in a way he was wholly unprepared for; it left him feeling giddy and breathless all at once. 

Sliding out of Kid’s grip as he sat up, Law was quick to rearrange the other man’s arms as he had them before - bent at the elbow with his palms resting face up on either side of his head. “Leave these where I put them. I wonder how well you can follow orders,” as he spoke, Law grew aware of the fact that his words could be edging into something unpleasant for Kid. Kid had always taken Law’s needs into consideration and Law knew he needed to do the same. He could see the muscles in Kid’s biceps shift like he wanted to move, yet when he didn’t Law rewarded him with another kiss.

Kid accepted the kiss without fuss, a little tension limning his abdomen but otherwise he still felt mostly at ease. This was Law and Law was safe. When the kiss broke, Kid looked up at his companion in silence for a moment before deciding to comment somewhat dryly, “Not very, if we’re bein’ real. Somebody’d have to really earn it.”

“But look; you didn’t move. Guess that means I earned it,” Law observed with a grin, sitting up fully and enclosing the two of them in a Room. He didn’t do anything with it immediately, aware that it made Kid nervous - likely doubly so in a situation like this. All he did was watch, taking in Kid’s posture and expression to determine what to do next.

“For now,” Kid kept his eyes on Law’s face and his hands beside his head, at least for the time being. He was so happy for Law and present in this moment that breathing still came easy, even as he found himself seeming to head toward something that had never been done with his consent before. Law was safe. Law was Law. Taking a deep breath he held it for a moment before voicing the only thing that ran through his mind, the one piece of reassurance it seemed he needed. “Tell me you’re not gonna hurt me…” his voice came out softer and a little more timid than he would have liked, but he couldn’t take it back now.

Law knew what it was like to need reassurance. He grinned wide in response, leaning in to press a line of kisses along Kid’s jaw to his ear. “I’m gonna make you feel so good, you’ll do whatever I say just to get more of it,” he rasped, long fingers trailing down Kid’s sides, over the jacket that he hadn’t yet had the chance to shed. He wasn’t going to speak in soothing tones with careful words; that wasn’t Law’s style. But he was going to ensure that Kid got what he needed regardless. 

That worked well enough for Kid. He actually didn’t care one whit for the physical pleasure of it all, not that he would turn it down once Law got started, but he truly did need the promise that none of this would be a punishment, or about bringing him to heel or forcing him to obey. It had never been about his pleasure before, about making him feel good, and for a long time he’d doubted that such a thing would even have been possible. But with Law, he was willing to trust that it could be. 

Unsure of how to take Kid’s silence, Law drew back with a frown. “... Good?” he asked, somewhat tentative. Of all the things he wanted, actually controlling Kid wasn’t even on the list. Part of the reason Law enjoyed his company was the sense of freedom that seemed to pour from the other man, his wild, reckless spirit. He didn’t want to dampen that, just play around with the tease that they’d started. 

Kid did move one arm then, just briefly, to touch the side of Law’s face for a moment before a smile touched his lips, soft and trusting as he nodded. Sinking his arm back to its previous spot on the bed, Kid allowed a tease to return to his tone as he responded, “Big scary Warlord has a soft heart for a nasty member of the Worst Generation? Weird. What would your new bosses think?” 

Lips immediately perking back up, Law felt his confidence returning. “They’re gonna thank me when I truss you up like a trophy,” he replied, though he made no move to bind Kid as he’d mentioned. Instead he held his hand out, palm downward. “Actually, I’m a little selfish. Maybe I’ll just keep you for myself. But you just went out on a dangerous outing, didn’t you? I should make sure my prize isn’t damaged,” with a flick of his wrist, Kid’s jacket was displaced, thrown over the back of the chair at Law’s desk.

Kid’s reaction was almost instantaneous, the way he arched his back and stretched out underneath Law for observation. He’d learned by now that he loved having Law’s attention on him, loved the way he could see the other man’s eyes rake down his body, loved the way that Law so obviously hungered for him. If there was one thing he didn’t mind, it was being admired. 

And admire he did. There were bruises and shallow wounds already scabbing over, but no serious damage. Law was both grateful to see with his own eyes Kid was whole and turned on, seeing how willingly Kid bared himself to his scrutiny. “Show off,” he accused before taking advantage of what had been offered to him, the palms of his hands resting over Kid’s rib cage, fingers tracing the outline of his pectorals. 

“Yeah,” shameless in it, Kid only laughed and pressed himself against Law’s fingertips. While his desire was different from Law’s, it was desire nonetheless, for the touch, the attention, the affection that Law had for him. He’d do just about anything to get it and this was certainly feeding all of those needs at once, “You like what you see.”

Law seemed to hum in agreement, attention directed downward, eyes following the path his hands took from Kid’s chest to his stomach. “I’d like to see more,” he replied finally, a subtle request for permission to continue. The blue glow of Room had not yet ebbed, casting shadows over their faces and providing enough light for Law to clearly enjoy the sight he had trapped between his knees. 

“What a good Warlord, asking for permission from a real pirate,” his grin was just as wicked as his tone and Kid couldn’t help but wiggle his hips enticingly as he spoke. The back and forth between them brought him a patently ridiculous amount of joy and he knew that this new position of Law’s meant that he’d have plenty more opportunities to tease. 

“And what a good pirate, granting it,” Law shot right back, flicking his wrist with more force this time. The remaining layers of clothes Kid wore, along with Law’s own, were discarded on the floor, “Mhm, better.” Not moving from his position, Law reached behind him and settled his hands on Kid’s thighs, squeezing and digging his nails in playfully. 

“Is this part of your duties, Warlord Trafalgar,” his questions coming rapidly, Kid shifted until his feet were flat on the bed and he could press his hips up into the junction of Law’s legs with much more force than before, “strip search your captives before you turn them over to the Marines? Didn’t realize they were so kinky.”

“Tsk,” Law swatted between Kid’s legs, not hard enough to do anything but sting momentarily, “get your ears checked, Captain Kid. I said I was too selfish to give you away. This strip search is purely for my benefit.” As though to soothe the sting he’d just caused, Law’s fingers found their way around the base of Kid’s cock, thumb rubbing soothing circles against the soft flesh.

Kid had to bite his lip for a moment before he could respond - he had a little pride, he wasn’t about to let himself moan for Law quite yet. Whether he felt sexual desire or not, Law’s hand there did arouse a certain physical pleasure. But once he’d gotten around that urge he grinned again, confident even as he slowly started pumping his hips up and down into the grip of Law’s hand, all a show for the other man, “I heard you. Just like makin' you admit how bad y’need me.”

“Just as bad as you need me, apparently,” Law replied, moving with Kid to keep his balance, grip tightening to give the other man something to thrust into. He knew that the redhead had no sex drive of his own, but Law had seen him react to physical stimulus before and knew that he felt pleasure from this, so he was determined to keep his earlier promise.

The slow, steady thrust of Kid’s hips didn’t even stutter as he pushed himself up onto his elbows, leaning in to get closer to Law’s ear before he spoke, “You like the show. Maybe you’ll take pity on me if I dance just right for you, yeah?” He licked his lips then, accidentally smearing just a touch of his freshly applied lipstick over the corner of his mouth, the purple a vivid mark against his pale skin. 

“Pity? I have no pity for you,” Law replied earnestly, dropping all his weight down at once to throw Kid off balance. Surging forward, Law gripped Kid’s face in both hands, kissing him fiercely. He wanted to be the one mark Kid up, to make a mess of him. It was a feeling he could hardly describe or make sense of, but it felt right in the moment. His tongue smeared the purple along Kid’s bottom lip before surging past his teeth, deepening the kiss further. 

The sudden change in weight was unexpected and caught Kid off guard enough to force a grunt from him as he hit the bed. The way Law surged above him, grabbed him, held him, took him, it felt like a claim of ownership, though Kid wasn’t cognizant enough to put those actual words to it. He accepted it without protest, opening his mouth to Law’s assault, allowing the smaller man to steal his breath through their kiss. It was like being caught in the winds of a maelstrom, except this time he had no interest in resisting the pull.

When Law pulled back, he could feel how Kid’s lipstick had smeared over his lips but he didn’t bother trying to wipe it away. Instead, he slid back down the other man’s body and pushed his thighs up and apart, giving himself space to settle into. “Keep your hands there, Captain Kid,” Law warned, lowering himself down onto his stomach between Kid’s legs.

“Dunno if I’m gonna take orders from a traitor,” just to prove his point, Kid lifted both his arms until they were hovering a few inches off the bed. The grin on his face was wide and messy, complimented somewhat perfectly by the smudge of eyeliner at his right temple - Law’s thumb had gotten a little wayward during their kiss. He was overflowing with energy, craving all the attention Law wanted to give him, and thoroughly enjoying seeing what lengths the other man would go to in their little game.

Law smiled up at Kid, expression docile, holding eye contact just long enough for the redhead to take in his expression before he turned and bit Kid’s inner thigh. Law’s fingers curved over the larger man’s hip bones, palms pressing them down to try and keep him still. If he wasn’t going to listen, Law wasn’t going to be nice about it.

The response that earned Law was a straight up yelp, Kid’s body trying to jerk away on instinct; sure, he’d been bitten plenty of times in his life, but not there and not naked. It was fucking sensitive. His hands fell to the bed as his body jerked and this time he made the decision to leave them there, acknowledging Law’s determination. 

Hearing the soft sound of Kid’s arms hitting the mattress once more, Law released the tender skin between his teeth and traced the mark with his tongue. Without lifting the muscle from Kid’s skin, Law focused his attention inward, licking a stripe from his thigh to the base of his cock, slowly circling around it before moving along the underside and up to the tip. Likewise, still without breaking contact, Law’s palms shifted from Kid’s hips to the backs of his thighs, encouraging his legs up and apart. 

Letting his eyes flutter closed, Kid allowed his mind to float along with it and just started letting Law’s hands and mouth guide him as the other man wished. It came surprisingly easy, the ability to release himself into Law’s control, so when his legs were nudged into a different position Kid’s body followed along without any conscious thought on his part. Law’s tongue felt good, sent little shudders through his body, but that was nothing in comparison to how in tune he was with the movement of Law’s soft fingertips over his skin.

Focused on the task at hand, Law spent a good ten minutes laving his tongue over Kid’s hardening cock, alternating between dragging the flat of his tongue over every inch and swallowing him down, head bobbing eagerly along his length. Though he knew most people thought of this as a position of subservience, Law felt powerful. He could make powerful men into nothing but quivering messes with only his mouth and his teeth were weapons close at hand should they be needed. Now was no different; he was no less in control now than he had been when this started, but he was intent to deliver on his promise to make Kid feel as good as was possible.

By the time Law had urged him to full hardness, Kid was trembling. It could be both felt and seen, his thighs tense under Law’s hands. Regardless of whether or not his base desire was there, Kid was so entwined with the knowledge that Law was enjoying every single second of what he was doing that the fact of that alone drove Kid’s pleasure higher and higher. 

Just the feeling of the muscles in Kid’s thighs twitching and jumping on either side of his head was enough to bring a sense of satisfaction to Law. Even if Kid didn’t have a drive for sex, that didn’t mean it wasn’t pleasurable and the fact that he was reacting so strongly had Law feeling smug. Pulling back finally, Law rested his cheek on Kid’s inner thigh, smiling lazily up at him. “How ya feelin’?”

The huff that snorted out through Kid’s nose as he shook his head was clearly rueful amusement at how smug Law currently was. But then again, who was he to judge someone celebrating a victory? “Good,” the response may have come short and sweet, but Kid felt it summed the whole experience up quite nicely. He followed it up then with the same inquiry in the other direction, “You?”

“Just good?” Law asked, skimming his nails along the tender skin where Kid’s leg joined with his body. “Your legs are shaking,” he observed, mouth curving into a feral grin, wanting to hear some acknowledgement of his prowess as much for his own pride as for the sake of Kid’s continued enjoyment.

Tilting his head back against the pillow, Kid laughed fully this time, taking a few deep breaths and starting to steady as he and Law spoke. He could tell what the other man was after and in most other situations would have teased about it first, but something about this… he so desperately wanted to give Law everything. “Best I’ve ever had,” though, knowing Kid’s opinion on sex, that could be taken as a backhanded insult, he absolutely did not mean it as such. He’d had enough experience, either with Killer or in the instances he’d done it as a means to an end, to have it count as a compliment. 

“Damn right I am,” Law agreed, pleased with the statement. Sitting up on his knees briefly, Law admired the man spread out beneath him, eyes hungry as they took in the sight before cupping his hands beneath Kid’s knees and pushing his legs up to his chest. “I’m giving you permission to move your hands,” he taunted, fingertips drumming the side of Kid’s knee. “But only to replace mine.”

But of course, who was Eustass Kid if he didn’t give Law a hard time at least once or twice, “What if I don’t wanna?” Realistically, holding his legs up like that was going to take effort if he was the one doing it, whereas just laying here and allowing Law to manhandle him was all work on the smaller man’s part. The grin he shot Law was wide and amused even as he settled his hips into the bed and spread his legs just the tiniest bit further, canting his pelvis to give Law the best view he could manage. 

“You want to,” Law replied, as unconcerned with Kid’s challenge as he was appreciative of the view. “I could always make you, but where’s the fun in that?” flexing his fingers, Law felt his nails dig in to the sensitive flesh on the backs of Kid’s knees, a silent warning to obey. He had better things in mind than coercing Kid to comply and he was eager to move on.

Kid couldn’t help but laugh even as he shook his head - that’s the exact same response he would have shot Law’s way if the situation had been reversed. He shifted his hands without further argument then, holding himself spread open and willing for Law, oddly comfortable with this whole thing. It felt safe with Law, right.

Law pulled his hands away slowly, like he didn’t quite trust Kid would continue to obey. When it was clear he was going to do as he was told, Law sat back on his heels and just took in the sight beneath him. In the past, the men he’d been with that had been as prideful as Kid would have bristled at the very notion of allowing Law to do what he liked to them. And here Kid was, teasing of course, but ultimately willing without any hint of trepidation or hesitance. It made him that much more desirable. 

Without wasting any more time, Law activated his Room just long enough to Shambles the lube from his drawer into his hand. Rolling forward onto his stomach, he went back to work with his mouth, briefly sucking at the base of Kid’s cock before Law’s tongue laved lower, trailing down his perineum and back up again. 

The way Law’s gaze burned over his body, the way he had so obviously captivated the other man’s attention, it lit Kid ablaze with how powerful he felt. Law couldn’t take his fucking eyes off him, couldn’t look away even for the few seconds it would have taken to get the lube without his Devil Fruit. 

While Law’s physical attention, his mouth and his tongue and his hands, were certainly not to be ignored, what drove Kid higher and higher was the sheer fact that Law’s desire for him was so base and obvious. He did everything he could to magnify that even more, rolling his body and pressing his legs absolutely as far apart as he possibly could, whatever it took to keep Law so rapt, he’d do. 

Using his mouth as a distraction, Law managed to open the lube one-handed, coating his fingers in the viscous liquid before stroking the pads of his fingertips over the redhead’s hole. The touches were light, almost no pressure to them, getting the sensitive muscle to relax at before he moved on. Law’s mouth remained busy as well, keeping Kid distracted so he wouldn’t tense up at the wrong time.

Though, had he known Law was having it, Kid would have appreciated the sentiment, Law’s mouth wasn’t enough to stop the redhead from going stiff the moment that Law’s fingertips pressed against his hole. But he’d been preparing for this to happen, in his own way, and so before Law could pull back to give him a concerned look Kid reached out with one hand to brush across whatever parts of Law he could reach, “Just… a second.”

Nodding, Law rested the side of his head against Kid’s thigh and gently placed his palm against the redhead’s hip. Months ago, he was certain he would have gotten impatient. But now this patient understanding came easily, naturally, and Law idly stroked along Kid’s skin while he waited for the invitation to continue.

Closing his eyes, Kid focused on controlling his breathing and reminding himself of the reality of their situation. The person between his legs was someone he’d invited there. Someone who’d been respectful of him in every way possible so far, someone who had listened to his history and accepted it as fact, but hadn’t allowed it to blacken the ways they interacted. This was different. This was safe. This was good. 

It took a few minutes, Kid repeating those thoughts to himself over and over until his breathing settled and his hands stopped shaking, but with that touch of patience and the time it allowed he found himself reorienting and ready to continue sooner than he would have thought. Opening his eyes again he looked down the length of his body until his gaze caught Law’s mop of hair dark and amorphous against his skin. That looked right too, somehow. Nudging the other man gently with his leg, Kid waited until Law caught his gaze before nodding a little and managing a wan, but genuine, smile.

Even the waiting, the stillness, didn’t interrupt his nearly overwhelming _want,_ so when Kid shifted to get his attention, Law was more than ready to continue. He returned Kid’s smile with a wide, toothy grin of his own, turning his head to press a kiss against Kid’s thigh before he leaned back down to pick up where he’d left off.

This time Kid’s body stayed pliant and open, his hands steady as they both reclaimed their spots behind the crook of his knee. Law would do right by him, he could just feel it in his core. Resting his head back against the bed, Kid smiled a little to himself as he gave in to the sensation that Law was starting to send thrumming through him - this connection between them was so alive it burned in the most amazing way.

Deciding he wanted to enjoy whatever expressions Kid was going to make, Law rearranged himself so he could lay on his right side, propping himself up on his elbow while his left hand did all the work. Kid was surprisingly relaxed considering the break they took, but nonetheless Law spent a few minutes working his fingers in a circle against the puckered muscle, occasionally increasing the pressure until he could just feel it giving way before he pulled back. He was sort of fascinated with how at ease Kid had suddenly become, how trusting. 

It was a rare moment in Kid’s life when he let go of all his trappings and posturing and allowed himself to just exist. While he felt that safe with Killer, even around Yara he had to maintain some air of ‘strong big brother’ no matter the circumstances. To be here like this, bottom lip pulled between his teeth as Law eased his body open, head tilted back to press into the bed, a slight tremble running through him at the whole process, to be wholly exposed as nothing more than Eustass Kid, hardly twenty two years old, inexperienced and a little timid… To be all those things and nothing more and to find he didn’t even care, it felt like freedom. 

It had been a long time since Law allowed himself to enjoy this side of his desire. It was difficult to find a person he was attracted to, that he was compatible with, and that didn’t mind being on the receiving end. The last time he’d been allowed to do this was just a rush to the finish line because he’d been in the mood so long he couldn’t even really take the time to enjoy it. That wasn’t the case with Kid; nothing with the redhead was a rush and it was a little bit intoxicating to have all this power given to him so easily with no expectations. 

The next time he increased the pressure against Kid’s hole, Law did nothing to stop the intrusion. He exhaled sharply as his finger pressed in knuckle deep with almost no resistance, Kid’s body gripping tight and hot around him. It was easy to imagine how it would feel once he replaced his fingers with his cock. It sent a pang of urgency through him, to his own neglected want, but Law was patient. Kid was worth being patient for.

The groan that emanated from Kid then was low, expanding through his vocal cords from deep in his stomach. Law’s touch seemed to fixate his mind, Kid’s awareness tracking down to nothing but the sensation of Law’s hands on him. It felt reverent, the way Law touched him, made him feel important and protected all at once. While Kid was far more focused on his mind than his body, the state that Law had guided him into meant that said body was more than content with what was happening as well.

The sound that Law’s touch had drawn from Kid was almost as inviting as the physical sensation of being inside him was. Now that the first finger was pressed in as deep as it could be, Law curled his finger forward slowly, wanting Kid to feel every bit of movement. He repeated the action, slowly curling and extending his finger, occasionally twisting his wrist to keep working open the second ring of muscle that fluttered and flexed around the intrusion.

The longer Law spent working him open, the more often sounds escaped Kid. The fact that Law was stretched out alongside him helped center Kid, gave him the close, intimate contact he craved, and after a few more moments he couldn’t help but turn his head to the side and press his face into whatever soft patch of Law’s skin was closest. It was then that he spoke, lips brushing over Law just soft enough to make goose flesh rise, “L-law…” The shudder of breath that escaped after that said more than words ever could. 

If Kid weren’t so much bigger than him, it would have been easier to stretch out on top of the other man, fingers still moving inside him while Law swallowed each of those sounds, his lips and teeth working busily against Kid’s as each gasp and moan left him. As it was, he had to stretch his arm and keep his wrist at just the right angle to stay as close as he was and take in all of the subtle expressions and sounds the redhead made in response to his efforts. “Told you,” Law breathed, nose pressed against the larger man’s shoulder, “told you I’d make you feel better than anyone else could.”

Kid’s response came as a helpless nod of agreement suddenly cut short by the way that Law managed, somehow, to curl his fingers in just the _right_ way. It sent sparks shooting through Kid’s whole body and, for the first time, caused him to lose his grip as one leg jerked out to the side, his hand dropping down to the bed and the toes on both feet curling inward tightly. The gasp of air he took through the whole thing was startled and desperate, as though he’d almost forgotten how. Fuck if Law wasn’t doing everything right, somehow, even when Kid couldn’t have told you what ‘right’ was himself. 

With each new reaction, Law could feel himself getting more and more greedy, wanting to pull everything he could from Kid to have for himself. He’d felt possessive before, but never like this, never this frenzied obsession to take and take until he had everything all at once. He could feel the moment the pad of his finger brushed against Kid’s prostate, the smooth flesh giving way to something firm and spongy and though Kid’s reaction jarred his hand, Law now knew exactly where to find it again and he did, finger circling around before locating the center once more and massaging against it with an almost ruthless fervor. Law wondered if he could get Kid loud enough to carry his voice across the water, let his own crew hear exactly how much Kid enjoyed what he was doing to him…

Though he was a strong - and stubborn - man, Kid was only able to resist Law’s ministrations for one, maybe two seconds before his body moved, one leg dropping completely onto the bed while the other fell flat footed to the sheets, but left a space for Law’s arm to continue working. His upper body twisted then, the groans turning into full fledged moans as Kid wrapped his arms around Law’s middle and pulled them as close together as he could manage. It was then that he buried his face against Law, shaking with the immensity of the sensation, eyes squeezed shut as his voice, unbidden, began doing exactly as Law wished - growing louder and louder as he moaned against the black inked skin of Law’s chest.

The sudden change of position pulled Law up and jostled his arm so that he lost the spot he’d been searching for. Damn their height difference; if Kid was half a foot shorter he could reach just fine. Still, Law knew it was an intense feeling so he contented himself with simply curling and uncurling his finger once more, his reach shallow but still effective. Instead of being annoyed, Law simply smirked as he watched Kid’s chest heave as he caught his breath, each word dripping with smug satisfaction. “Too much to handle?”

The immediate nip of teeth against the whorls of Law’s tattoo made it clear that, even like this, Kid was still Kid. While he didn’t bite hard enough to mark it was certainly hard enough to sting, and at this point Kid felt ready for more anyway. “Maybe I just want y’t’get on with it,” his voice was still tight, body still overwhelmed with sensation, but damn if Kid wasn’t going to be as stubborn as always. 

“You don’t,” Law's reply was matter-of-fact as he shifting down once more so he had better range of motion. Sliding his finger back in deeper, he brushed against Kid’s prostate once more just to prove he could before pulling his hand away entirely and wiping it against the sheets. “And I’ll gag you if you get too mouthy, so I’d watch it if I were you,” he warned as he rolled up onto his knees and moved down toward the foot of the bed, wrist sore from the angle. He rescued the lube from where it’d been kicked away before sitting cross legged between Kid’s legs. Rather than encouraging the redhead to hold himself up as he had before, Law simply draped Kid’s thighs over his knees, keeping multiple points of contact between them.

“Yeah, y’would,” the way Kid said it was almost affectionate, as though he couldn’t imagine Law making any threat other than that one. He allowed Law to manipulate and move his body through all of it, trusting that the other man was in tune with what he needed. When Law then proceeded to tangle their legs together before resuming his actions, Kid felt his chest flutter with proof that he was right. 

Now that he was in a position that would be easier on his wrists, Law set about completing the task of opening Kid up in earnest. After re-coating his fingers in more lubricant, he pushed the first finger back inside with ease before carefully slotting a second in alongside it. Predictably, Kid’s body tensed for a moment as it worked to expand around the increased girth. Law remained patient, holding still until the stiffness had subsided before he stroked and massaged Kid’s inner muscles until they were yielding and pliant. Getting Kid himself breathless and moaning was absolutely a reward worth whatever it took to attain. 

Within minutes, Law had exactly what he was after. Regardless of whether or not he was a person who actively looked for opportunities to fuck, Kid’s body responded perfectly to the stimuli Law was currently overloading him with. It wasn’t long before he was arching his back and gripping the sheets between white-knuckled fingers, legs open yet tense as Law insistently opened him up. The sudden, unexpected thought of Law switching out fingers for his cock made Kid’s breath choke off in his throat completely for a moment, just imagining the immensity of that stretch stealing the very air from him, “F-fuck, Law…”

“That’s the idea, yes,” Law replied with a cheeky grin. In his mind, it was selfishness that was making him so careful; he wanted this moment to be between the two of them, not whatever ghosts were lurking in the shadows. He wanted Kid’s attention all to himself. With that mindset it was easy enough to spend countless minutes working Kid open, from two fingers to three, taking his own pleasure from each twitch, each gasp for breath, each shudder and moan. It was a high Law had never experienced before.  
By the time Law was four fingers deep, Kid was flushed red from forehead to collarbone and the color had spread all across his chest as well. He felt completely unguarded under Law’s ministrations, his body reacting of its own accord as it jumped, clenched, and trembled under the other man without a single conscious order from him. But through it all he still felt invincible, knew that Law’s attention was all for him, that the other man was completely focused on what he was doing and was entranced by it and it made Kid bold, made him eager, “Take more, Law.”

There was something to be said for watching Kid nearly shake apart from just his fingers. Of course he wanted to continue, to fuck him properly, but Law was so content with how things were going that Kid’s words nearly caught him off guard. He paused, body stilling as he processed the words before Law felt his face split with a grin. “Take more? How? What do you want, Kid?”

Even spread out like this, naked and exposed and vulnerable under Law, there wasn’t even a single strand of shame running through Kid. He wanted this, wanted to be close to Law, to give what the man so clearly wanted, to be the person who captured his need and attention and fed him in a way nobody else ever could. Somehow, that whole concept was so easy to put into words - at least, for right now, “Want you inside me, Law. Please.” His voice was so raw with the desire to please his partner that those words couldn’t be mistaken for anything but a need so powerfully rooted in Kid’s chest that it hurt.

It would be easy to feign ignorance, given the fact he was already four fingers deep, but Law wanted what Kid was asking for more viscerally than he’d wanted any other person in memory. Slowly, one by one he relaxed his fingers and slid them free, drying them off on the sheets before reaching for the plastic tube that had seen more use tonight than it had in a long time. “Keep going, I don’t know that I’m convinced,” Law demanded, voice deep and breathless in a way that made it clear he was beyond convinced. His hands were busy as he spoke, slicking up his own length and stroking himself to full hardness.

Law’s words - or more specifically, his tone - only sent another flare of power through Kid. It was so obvious how badly, how deeply, how painfully he was wanted and he relished knowing how much control he had over Law without even touching him. He reached down with one hand then, to loop it back under the corresponding knee and pull his thighs apart just a little bit further. He knew the view would do wonders, “Fuck me, Law. I know y’wanna do it, wanna have me.” If his voice was shaky too, it was only from how thoroughly he’d been worked over. 

Law moved with Kid, filling in the space he left by lifting and spreading his leg. He didn’t bother with the actual fucking right now, spreading himself over Kid’s chest instead and reaching up for a kiss, sloppy and wet and eager. “Put your legs around my waist,” he ordered, each word filled with breathless intent as he waited for Kid to comply.

Kid surged into the kiss as eager and willing as an inexperienced but excited teenager. His desire for that sort of intimacy far outweighed the actual physical desire pooling in his stomach and he leaned into it like he was taking in fresh air, pliant and welcoming and forceful under Law’s lips. It felt like breathing, kissing him like this. Law’s demand was obeyed without even a stray thought, or any consideration as to whether or not he should - his legs just moved on instinct, surrounding Law’s thin waist and holding him in close and tight against Kid’s body. It was where he belonged, after all.

Law could feel the power in Kid’s body as his legs surrounded him and the fact that he gave it up so willingly served to ratchet up the feeling of pleasure in him. The fact that he had to pull back so he could use his hand to guide his cock against Kid’s hole was a miserable, short parting. But even still he could already feel the heat radiating from the redhead’s body. The fact that Kid’s body gave only the briefest moment of resistance as Law pressed against him before opening smoothly and allowing Law’s cock to slide inside pulled a full body shudder from him. They were both in the same place, on the same level, both wanting and pushing each other to new heights. Law was still amazed that someone existed in the world who could so perfectly compliment him like this.

For all that Kid was ready and Law had been careful to take the needed time there was still something in him that wasn’t prepared for that first slick of Law’s cock inside his body. It was such a base feeling, being split open like that and Law felt a million times bigger than he’d looked. It made Kid’s back bow and his toes curl into the sheets, but the gasp that ripped itself from his throat was full and desperate: for more, for less, for everything in between, but most importantly of all, desperate with the need for Law to continue, to give what he had, to take what Kid was offering. 

The first thrust in was slow, nudging in further and further, deeper than his fingers could reach. Law took his time, taking in the heat and pressure all around him as inch by inch he sank into Kid. Now fully seated, he reached up and pulled Kid to him, wanting to experience the previous thought he’d had, to swallow each sound the other man made as he moved inside him.

Kid offered no resistance as Law surged up and pressed their mouths together again, though he also gave no effort to the act of trying to silence himself or control the way his body wanted to move. He was like a living, breathing tsunami under Law’s slim frame, his body twisting and rolling with every new sensation Law sent rippling through him, legs gripping him so tight it was like being clutched in the tentacles of some undersea beast. But beyond everything, he was wanting and willing, refusing to let go until exhaustion and utter bliss forced it.

Though Kid’s legs kept him trapped, their bodies forced together, and Law could hardly manage a full breath, none of his claustrophobic fear could manage to break through the strength of their connection. Once he was comfortably situated Law began to move, rolling his hips shallowly as he ground down against Kid’s body. He didn’t want to pull out too far, focused instead on just pressing in as deeply as he could. Eventually, Law broke away from Kid’s mouth to bite along the line of his jaw and trace his tongue along the shell of his ear before he demanded, “Stroke your cock for me.”

Spread out and willing beneath Law, Kid had let go of every attempt at conscious thought and just allowed himself to float, seamlessly connected with Law just through the intensity of their touch. So it was jarring that, out of everything that Law could have said, that particular order was perhaps the one thing that was able to throw him for a loop so hard that it jetted him right out of that reverie.

As his eyes blinked open in confusion, “... Huh - what?” Kid’s brain kicked back in as the words belatedly sunk in. But Kid wasn’t quite sure what to do from there - he hadn’t spared his own cock a thought for over twenty minutes now, all he desired he had in the feeling of Law deep inside him. Not that he was opposed, per say, it had just caught him off guard.

As caught up as he was in how he felt, it was easy for Law to forget that an orgasm wasn’t the end goal for Kid. He just wanted to get them both off, bring Kid enough pleasure that he thought of no one but him. Law tensed briefly, then buried his face against the side of the other man’s neck. “I… wanna feel you come around me…” he insisted, breath hot against Kid’s skin as he spoke. 

The sounds of acknowledgement that Kid gave Law in response to that certainly could not be construed as words, but as his right hand immediately shifted between their bodies to do as Law had asked it was clear that he was willing to give what Law wanted. It was with a smaller, stifled groan that his fingers finally clenched around the firm flesh, his breath escaping him in soft, stuttered little gasps, “F’fer you…”

With Kid’s hand taking up a good amount of the little space there was between their bodies, Law had to shift. He pushed himself up onto his hands, palms pressed against the mattress on either side of Kid’s shoulders, using the newfound leverage to move more easily in and out of the redhead. Law could see the flush that spread from Kid’s ears all the way down his chest, sweat slicking their thighs and every other point of contact as they moved together and it spurred him on even further; he wanted to see how much more of Kid he could paint that color. 

As Law shifted, Kid felt a flutter of panic rise in his chest for a moment, but it was quashed as quickly as it came when he realized Law was just re-positioning and was still staying as close as he possibly could. Vulnerability was starting to seep in but Law was close and Law was careful and Law was here taking care of him. It took a few moments but with time Kid was able to let his eyes slide closed again, arching his body up into every single thrust that Law pressed inside him. He just wanted the other man to be fulfilled, to be here, to be present in everything Kid had to offer. 

Law swore he could see the air between them shimmer with the heat their bodies were giving off. His own physical pleasure had been ignored for so long that finally sating his desire meant he wasn’t going to last much longer. Not that he wanted to; Law was already exhausted, seeking out his orgasm almost lazily, each thrust more a roll of his hips than anything but still so satisfying. “Come for me, Kid…” he rasped, having been honest when he spoke earlier, wanting to feel just how tightly clenched around him the redhead would become at the height of his orgasm.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, that got a chuckle from Kid, though the thought that had started to rise _Isn’t that your job?_ never had a chance to fully form or even begin to touch his tongue. It was as though Law had command over him with words, not just touch, and within seconds of the dark-haired man’s command Kid felt his body tightening, his legs trembling, and finally his back snap into an arch so fast and so hard it almost hurt. But it was then that he spilled sticky and wet all over his own hand, a startled gasp escaping him at the myriad of sensation, the intense pressure of Law inside him as his body clamped down on the intrusion enough to leave him shaken and weak with it all. 

It would have been enough to simply watch Kid’s reaction, see the way his face twisted and his back arched, hear the way he yelled his pleasure up at the ceiling, voice hoarse from use. But the physical sensation; Kid’s legs squeezing his waist like he was trying to snap him in half, the clench of muscle around his cock, the way his body seized and fluttered beneath him... it was a feast for his senses and all Law needed. He followed mere moments later, sucking in a breath through his teeth before Law felt himself release inside Kid, hips stuttering and jerking as he chased his own orgasm.

Feeling Law spill inside him before he’d even had a chance to really process his own ending was complete overload for Kid. It took all he had to hold still long enough for Law to stop shaking before his whole body collapsed back onto the bed, taking Law with him. Above anything else, it was important that their points of contact not lesson and even as exhausted, sated, and sleepy as he was, the loop of one stubborn leg still clenched around Law’s waist made that very clear. 

Law didn’t have enough strength to keep himself upright and was easily pulled forward at Kid’s insistence. He couldn’t imagine how the redhead was comfortable with having Law splayed out awkwardly on top of him, but in the moment he was too boneless to care. Closing his eyes, Law rested his head against Kid’s sternum, breathing deeply as he felt the sweat cool on his skin, feeling slowly returning to the rest of his body.

This was… whole and right. As he lay there, boneless and content, Kid felt sleep pulling at him with such insistence there was absolutely no point in fighting it. While it was a little haphazard, Kid did manage to flop one hand into Law’s hair and scrunch his fingers just enough to call it a grip. This was good. And that was the last thought he had before everything went soft and fuzzy and conscious thought left the ship, Kid falling into a doze so quickly it was like someone had socked him over the head with a mallet.

As Law lay on top of Kid he could feel the other man sinking into slumber. It wasn’t surprising; after all this time, he knew that Kid was his polar opposite and slid into unconsciousness the moment he was comfortable enough to manage it. Summoning up what remained of his strength, Law used his power to reverse their position with the blanket beneath them, grateful for the additional layer as he was quickly getting cold. He moved his hips just enough to pull out, shifting slowly until he was comfortable, careful not to wake Kid. 

For a long time, Law had wondered what kind of relationship they were building. Why he felt so comfortable, so in tune with Kid. Why this all came so easily, why it was worth it, why he was willing to compromise his goals and spare his attention for the redhead he had written off early on as nothing more than a brute. But now, as he began to sink into sleep himself, warm and comfortable, entwined with another person and not caring about the level of intimacy they shared, Law’s subconscious answered those questions unbidden. 

_I love him._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ Akimao](https://akimao.tumblr.com%20rel=) just outdoes herself every time with such beautiful art. <3 <3 <3


	28. What Matters

Everything was dark. 

Squeezing his eyes shut then forcing them open did nothing to change that. In spite of his apparent blindness, however, Law could still move, still hear, though his arms felt numb like they’d been plunged in ice water. Yet, as though of their own accord, his limbs moved with a practiced choreography that was at once as familiar as muscle memory and alien without his vision. 

**_CRACK_ **

**_SNAP_ **

Law’s legs took three steps forward then stopped. Something solid was beneath his hands. Heavy pressure then a sharp crack, two cracks, like a tree being felled. Each sound was muffled, filtered through cotton and his arms followed the same repetitive motion as before. Something tore, ripped, snapped. Fingers numb like the hands of ghosts. Something wet like a fish flopping on deck.

Three more steps.

It was endless. Blindly moving forward, pressure, crack, tear, squish. This was all his life was, meaning lost with each unknown solid form he passed, something - though if it were important or useless, he couldn’t say - discarded before the next three steps. 

He’d been counting. There wasn’t much else to do except number the repetition. At around fifty the scenery changed somewhat. In the distance something crackled, a bonfire just out of reach. The smell of burning wood hit him at sixty three, though he was still not close enough to feel the warmth of the flames. 

At number seventy one, the darkness softened. It was still black, but a shade lighter. By seventy nine, it was a deep gray and the promise of regaining his sight had him moving in a frenzy. It was like each number peeled away another layer of gauze around his face; sounds became clearer, the smell of the burning wood more pungent, his vision lightened and lightened until there was the barest suggestion of a shape.

And voices, now, too.

They were undoubtedly human, but there was no recognizable speech. There was heavy coughing and groaning. Distant wailing. Vague sounds of human misery surrounded him and yet he kept on moving.

_**Crack. Tear. Rip. Snap.** _

Words filtered through at eighty four. Whisper-soft gossamer threads of voices that were distantly familiar but hard to comprehend.

_...stop..._  
_...so...blood..._  
_...why..._  
_...happy…_

The words themselves didn’t concern him. He was so close to sight. There were shapes, shadows behind a curtain, close enough to reach. Eyes always peering outward and never down at his hands - what was he _doing_ , anyway? 

A cacophony enveloped him, too much noise to keep track of. Crackling flames eating through wood, _**SNAP TEAR RIP**_ , waves of murmuring voices washing up on the shore of his shoulders and receding back to whisper-silence-

_What am I doing with my hands?_

Ninety one.

Ninety two.

Something wet sloughing off his arms. They’re so heavy. 

Ninety seven.

Ninety eight.

Sight is filtering through his eyelashes. There are vague shapes, colors. Sounds too loud to make sense. Something in his hands - is it moving? - drop to the ground. Step. Step-

Trip. 

It feels like a hand around his ankle. A wheeze, words, a dying breath - “Don’t.”

Ninety nine.

There’s a feeling like fabric tightening around his biceps, his chest, almost squeezing the air from his lungs like water from a sponge, and then he’s upright again.

For the first time, a voice he can hear, words he doesn’t have to strain to understand.

Breath against the back of his neck.

“Go on, Law. Finish what you started.”

Something solid beneath his palms. _**CRRRRRRACK**_

One hundred.

The words register first. Then the timbre of the voice - deep and smooth. Amused. Approving. He can picture the face, short-cropped blond hair. A crescent moon smile splitting a tanned face in two, teeth white as pearl. Curved sunglasses hiding murderous intent, a pit of hate, howling rage…

Doflamingo’s voice.

There’s warmth on his shoulders, and weight. Hands, he realizes, impossibly large, consuming him. 

“I’m so proud of you, Law. You’ve worked so hard to join me. I knew you would be something great, something extraordinary. Open your eyes, little bird. Look at all your hard work.”

The final layer of gauze is removed. It’s so bright, he has to squint, but he can make out a spiral spreading out in every direction around him. Bodies. The farthest away are small; children. They wear a familiar uniform he would recognize anywhere and even if he didn’t, the nun’s habit on the woman shielding them would give it away.

Children he grew up with. Went to school with. A yawning pit in their empty chests. 

A perfect spiral of gore leads from one body to the next. A timeline of loss in a single procession, curving around and around to find him at the center. 

Baby5 and Buffalo, fingers barely touching across the space equivalent to three steps and so, so still. Children, just like he remembered them. His only friends on Spider Miles.

Mother and Father. Lamy.

Cora-san.

...Uni. Clione. Jean Bart. Shachi. Bepo.

Penguin and Ikkaku, reaching for each other, twin pools of blood the last parts of their bodies that would ever touch. 

Each member of his own crew neatly crumpled, evenly spaced apart. This was not an accident. This was meticulously planned, intentional.

But the bodies continued. His eyes circled with growing horror as he came closer and closer to what was right in front of him.

Jinx.

Heat.

Wire. 

Killer’s hand, still clamped around his ankle, rigor mortis keeping the fingers clenched tight. So tight it would bruise, bone sinking into flesh in a grip that he would feel until the day he died.

Doflamingo’s hands were still on his shoulders, a counterweight with his own body as the fulcrum. Law would surely tip forward with all the pressure in his arms. It was confusing until he looked down.

Kid’s face, pale as Amber Lead. Unseeing eyes stared up at the sky, body bent backward at an unnatural angle. Law’s arms elbow deep in his chest were the only things holding his body aloft.

_**RIIIIIIIIIIIIIP** _

Veins and arteries, muscles and tendons, everything snapped and Kid’s body dropped at Law’s feet with a bone-crunching thud. Law’s arms were black with blood and viscera, black like a void, black like a scream, all those hundred lives staining him forever.

And in his hands, his hundredth heart.

“You know what you have to do,” Doflamingo cooed. Fingers like spiders skittered up the side of his neck, over his Adam’s apple, digging into the hinge of his jaw. 

Law felt his mouth drop open, felt his arms lift, manipulated like a marionette.

“Make me proud, little bird.”

It was the thrashing, more than the noise, that roused Kid. He was used to sound while he slept - Yara snoring, waves crashing, men on watch duty murmuring amongst themselves, wind whistling through the rigging. What came as a shock to him was the elbow - pointed, sharp, and very fast - that drove so hard into his side it knocked the air right out of him, sending him jolting upright, gasping for breath, and trying to sort out what the hell was going on all at the same time. 

Alarm bells started ringing immediately, as they ought to of, and Kid’s attention snapped to the man laying beside him. But laying wasn’t really the right term, not with the way his limbs were splayed akimbo, the way sweat just ran down his temples, the way his face was twisted into a mask of anguish so grotesque it made Kid’s heart rend in two. “Nightmare... “ the word came to Kid almost as an afterthought, a memory that Law had relayed to him months ago. Law was having a nightmare. He’d been warned about this. 

From here on out, Kid knew he had one duty - find a way to soothe him, without being rough or making things worse. He had some experience in that realm, although it was with a young girl and not a grown man, but it was what he had to work with. From there he took action as quickly and gently as he could, scooping his legs up under himself until he was sitting on his knees and he could put a little distance between himself and the flailing joints being sent his way. 

Step one completed, Kid made easy work of step two, pushing the bedding away from Law so cool air touched his skin and he wouldn’t feel so tangled or bound. That done he reached out, hands as careful as possible in placement and pressure, to start stroking his fingertips against bare skin. “Hey, hey, whoa, it’s okay, it’s just me and you, Law. It’s just me and you,” as he moved, the words started coming out as a mantra, safe and soft and caring, “Just me and you…”

There was blood seeping into the neckline of his shirt. Impossibly, the heart in his hands was still beating, even though it was half gone, ragged edges fluttering where each bite had been taken out of it. It was lodged in his throat, the piece still beating separate from the whole. He couldn’t breathe. This endeavor was going to kill him. 

Words filtered through, soft but wicked in their gentleness as Doflamingo stepped in front of him, his face taking up Law’s field of view. “It’s just me and you, Law.” He could feel the soft touch on his skin where the larger man touched him and Law tried to hurl the heart out of his hands, strangle the life out of the Warlord. It was like moving through mud, slow and sluggish. The harder he tried, the louder Doflamingo laughed.

“Shit,” breathless and frustrated, Kid surveyed the scene in front of him. It had barely been two minutes but somehow he seemed to be making things worse, if the renewed panic in Law’s limbs was any indication. With a deep breath he reconsidered his options, unsure of the best route to take, but knowing he couldn’t let things stay as they were.

A leader, a captain, had to be decisive, especially in the worst of times. With that in mind Kid reached out, snatching Law’s hands and bringing them to his chest, holding the other man with firm care, “Law. Wake up. Wake up!” Startling Yara like this usually made her cry, but Law wasn’t one for tears. Hopefully that would hold true tonight?

He was allowed to play at reaching for Doflamingo before the blond closed the gap, capturing Law’s hands and pulling him in. His face was so close Law couldn’t see anything else, just that wide scythe of a smile. Fuzzy darkness encapsulated his vision and Law suddenly knew he was dying. Doflamingo’s face would be the last thing he ever saw, after he’d killed everyone he’d ever cared about. Everyone he’d ever loved. There was so much rage in him he felt himself screaming, wordless and incoherent, impotent rage filling his veins.

Intensified thrashing, not good. Eyes starting to flutter open, good. Kid could only hope that second one would win out; at least Law was starting to wake up now. Shifting, he went from holding just Law’s hands against his chest to pulling the other man into his lap, cradling him with one hand behind his shoulders as the other still caressed his hands, “That’s it. Wake up. It’s okay, you’re okay, wake up.”

For a split second, everything went dark again. Though it was only a second, it felt like an eternity. Slowly, a ceiling materialized in his line of sight. Red hair, fanned out at odd angles. Concerned orange eyes. A familiar once-broken nose. Kid was alive. No hole in his chest and the eyes looking down at him were warm. 

A nightmare, then. For a long time, Law just stared up at Kid, nonverbal as he felt his heart slow to a normal pace, cold sweat drying on the sides of his face and the column of his throat. 

Blowing out a long stream of air through pursed lips, Kid watched Law for a second to ascertain that he was actually fully awake and calm before giving into that sense of relief. His lips turned into a smile then, going for humor, as usual, to lighten the mood and address the heavy shit in the room without actually addressing it, “And you made it seem like you’d be all scary and shit when that happened.”

Though Kid’s words registered with ease, Law was not yet cognizant enough to actually reply. Instead he closes his eyes and exhaled sharply. The sheets were bunched around his left ankle but he was otherwise uncovered. It was cold in the room, the effect of drying sweat on overheated skin. Regular heartbeat, even with how loudly it echoed in his ears. Alive. He was alive. They both were.

“That’s cool,” where Law shut down, Kid tended to run his mouth, it was a habit he had since he was young, “you can be tough. You were tough. I was freaked out.” The way he said it made it clear that he was trying to go for levity, to lighten the mood. Leaning in he pressed a soft kiss to Law’s forehead, just one, before pulling back - he wanted to ensure he didn’t accidentally box Law in, set his claustrophobia off too, “But we’re both okay now.”

Clammy and cold, Law pushed himself up so he was sitting rather than being held aloft by Kid’s arms, boxed in against his chest. Where his heart had been racing before, his brain was now, on overdrive to process and compartmentalize all of the shit that nightmare had dragged to the surface. Kid’s presence felt stifling now, where it usually brought him a sense of peace. Belatedly, he realized he should probably voice that. It had been minutes since he’d woken and he hadn’t uttered a word. “...I… need to be alone…”

The short, sharp little breath that engendered in Kid was surprised, though belatedly he did his best to keep any hurt out of it. “Oh, um…” releasing his grip, Kid allowed Law to move as the other man needed, not wanting to restrict or worry him any further. The thought of leaving him right now put an ache in his chest he couldn’t put words to, but he supposed it wasn’t about what he wanted at this moment, “Yeah, okay.”

Nodding a little, Kid moved to stand, though he kept his eyes on Law the whole time. He had to scrounge a bit, find clothes from where they’d been thrown hours earlier, and collect his things so he could redress - walking through the Polar Tang naked as the day he was born probably wouldn’t be a welcome sight to anyone up this early in the morning. As he began to pull on his pants Kid couldn’t help it, pausing to look back over at Law, “It’s fine, you need space, I get that. But I’m gonna call later and you better answer.”

In the face of all the trauma that had clawed its way to the forefront of his thoughts, Law felt like he wasn’t even really a person capable of rational thought. He was watching himself from far away, one step removed. He nodded vaguely, more to acknowledge that Kid had spoken than in agreement. It was like he had to remember how to breath, how to blink, how to _exist_ before any of the deeper thoughts could be processed. 

Seeing Law’s jerky, mechanical movement in response was at least something more than a blank stare, so Kid took it. Nodding a bit as though acknowledging it himself, the redhead threw his coat over his shoulders once he’d finished lacing his boots, unable to part with Law without at least one more soft interaction. Reaching out he gently brushed his knuckles across Law’s right cheek, eyes a little sad as he spoke, “Sorry. But it’ll get better, promise. I’ll call later.” That said he moved to the door, wanting to respect Law’s wishes and give him his space even as the thought of leaving curdled what little was in his stomach.

Kid’s words hardly registered. What would get better? This was just his life. This was just how it went. That dream was a wake up call, more than anything else, a promise of what was to come if he continued down this path. This happiness he’d found was temporary, and it would be brutally stolen from him just as everything else had been. Better to keep his distance. Better not to cause the deaths of other people by virtue of the curse of his bad luck.

With a sigh, but no surprise, at the lack of Law’s response, Kid only paused to give him one last long, melancholy gaze before letting himself out. As he ascended the deck it was to find, to what little pleasure he could take in it, that Jean Bart what currently on guard. It was a very one sided conversation, not much more said than, _Your captain had a nightmare. Give him some space, check on him later._

But it was important that somebody else knew. That the people Law valued most could look after him when dawn broke. It was a solemn and sad Kid that tucked himself onto the bench of his skiff and began to row across the dimly lit harbor and out into the even darker channel that lead to his island. He hadn’t expected to make this trip in the pitch black; it seemed his track record with nights spent on the Polar Tang was going to either be awful or painful in one way or another. 

Jean Bart knew enough about himself to know he was not the best person to console his captain. Especially not if said captain’s… lover?... was also unsuccessful. There had been previous sleepless nights for the younger man that left him looking like he’d just clawed his way out of a grave and no one seemed to know how to help him, outside of the three who had been with him longest.

The sun rose incrementally and as it did, so did the rest of the crew. Bepo was the first of the three he was looking for, so that was who drew Jean Bart’s attention. “Bepo… I know it’s early, but Captain Kid left a little less than an hour ago. Said that Captain had a rough night. You should check on him, maybe, if you haven’t already.”

The frown Bepo gave Jean Bart was immediate and edging into panicked, “Oh, oh no!” He hadn’t been to check on Law due to the express thought that said other captain was there and the polar bear wanted to be polite about that, and respectful, about whatever it was they were doing. But at Jean Bart’s words he turned immediately, heading back into the bowels of the ship and moving toward Law’s room, knocking respectfully once he arrived, “Captain? Captain, it’s me, Bepo.”

Getting fully dressed required more stamina and focus than Law was in possession of at the time, so when Bepo entered after Law’s brief invitation to come in, he still hadn’t put all his clothes back on. Instead, he was wearing a bathrobe that was clearly too big for him and starting to go threadbare. The shadows under his eyes almost looked like bruises in his pale face, and Law could see the concern spreading in his navigator’s expression. “Good; you can tell me how long until the next island,” Law was leaning over a map of the area, clumsily trying to calculate the distance and clearly struggling with it.

“Wha- … why?” the frown tugging at Bepo’s lips was equal parts confusion and concern, his captain’s erratic behavior historically accurate but recently unusual. Moving to stand next to Law, the mink reached out and gently removed the measuring calipers from Law’s hand, folding them carefully and setting them out of reach, “Captain, what happened?”

Law’s gaze was still directed at the map and he gave no indication he realized Bepo had removed the instrument he’d been using for his measurements at all, “...Nothing happened. It’s just time to go. We have a goal, remember?” For all that he looked disheveled and unfocused, his tone was its usual deadpan, not reflecting any other emotion.

“Um, yeah…” blinking owlishly, Bepo regarded Law with round, uncertain eyes, “but this seems… very sudden.” Though he knew it was a risk he decided to change his line of questioning then, hoping that a more direct question would yield a more accurate answer, “Why’d Captain Kid leave so suddenly?”

That question caused Law to spasm, flinching at the mention of the other man’s name. This was the right thing to do. They’d gotten too close already, that nightmare confirmed it. He shouldn’t be including Kid in those dreams, it meant they were too entwined and he already had enough blood on his hands. “...because I asked him to.”

“Okay… ” Bepo was pacing his words carefully, slowly, like he was worried Law might start rampaging any moment and perhaps if he was careful with how he spoke, it would help keep him calm, “... why did you do that?” He did his best to act earnest, curious rather than concerned, but it probably wasn’t a successful charade. 

Trying to explain the reason for that was… frustrating. It has habit by now to move on after getting what he wanted. Law didn’t make connections on purpose and now, staring in the face of the first big step he was taking after years and years of building up to it, reminded him that this was no different. At least, it shouldn’t be. He’d been shaken to his core by the implication of the nightmare, the recognition of the depth of his feelings. There were a million reasons for him to run in the other direction as fast as he could and since that was what he knew and what felt safe, that was what he was doing now. “Because it’s time to go.”

The slow, repetitive blinking would be comical, if it were a different situation, “At four in the morning?” Jean Bart had reported seeing Kid over three hours before he’d accosted Bepo, so that reasoning didn’t hold much weight. Truly Bepo knew he was poking his nose where his Captain didn’t want it, but he’d been so… happy, up until now. It broke Bepo’s heart to realize something had happened to ruin that. 

“Yes, Bepo,” Law hissed. He usually felt so confident in his decisions, even after a nightmare. Especially one like that. The fact that he was already uncertain coupled with Bepo questioning him only made the anxious tension in his chest grow, “Tell the crew. We’re well stocked, there’s no reason to stay. Go.”

Well. That was a direct order. With a sigh so sad it could make flowers droop, the mink nodded and turned slowly on one foot, going to execute Law’s wishes as was his duty. Maybe he’d send Penguin or Shachi to try later, maybe they’d have better luck getting their Captain to talk, Law had always been closer to them anyway. 

It was early afternoon by the time they were truly ready, stores checked, anchor hoisted, everything on deck safely tucked away. The Polar Tang drifted out to deeper water before submerging and the heat was almost immediately oppressive. Law hadn’t moved since they departed, sitting at his desk and staring idly down at the wood grain, trying to make sense of the knot of emotion tangled so tightly he wasn’t sure he’d ever fully be free of it again.

It was strange how, in direct contrast to the turmoil in Law’s chest, that the redhead sullenly curled up in his nook and growing further and further away with each rotation of the Polar Tang’s propellers understood exactly how he was feeling. Uneasy, nervous, a little anxious, and on top of all that, worried. He’d promised to give Law some space but he wanted nothing more than to dial his number and hear his voice, just get confirmation that things would be okay. 

He’d spent the early morning hours in Killer’s bed, not wanting to disturb his second or his sister as they both still occupied his own. Not that he’d slept - no, it had been a lot more angry tossing and turning and a lot less restful anything. But morning had eventually dawned and the crew of the Black Rose had roused and eventually he responded to the chatter and the clamor, entering the main cavern just as breakfast was wrapping up. He hadn’t wanted to eat but sitting alone wasn’t doing him any good either. 

Yara had been equal parts elated and annoyed when she saw him, scolding him for leaving her. It was clear she had been mollified by Killer’s presence though, as her tongue lacked the usual barbed edge of when she was truly angry. He’d entertained her for an hour or so before Grudge seemed to catch on that something was off with his captain and enticed Yara away with a promise of swimming in the shallows. 

That suited Kid at the current point in time, actually. The look he gave Killer as the other two walked away made it clear he needed… something. Though if it was a drink, a cuddle, a conversation, or a nap Killer was going to have to do some work to find out.

Waving Yara away to enjoy her morning swim, Killer waited until she’d left before moving to join his captain. He knew Kid as well as the sand knew the tides and right now the redhead was pulling him in just as strongly. Sitting down next to him Killer hooked their ankles together; judging from the kicked puppy look Kid was doing a shit job at hiding, he needed some affection, “What’s on your mind?”

“... Fuck,” groaning the word out between clenched teeth, Kid dropped his head to rest it in one palm, his hand tightening around the strands of his hair. Pops of vibrant red between pale fingers and dark nails, the man a study in the contrast of colors as always. He was quiet for a few moments then, trying to piece words together, before finally giving up on being coherent and just spilling his guts, “... Dunno. Somethin’s not right. I dunno what t’do.”

“...okay, well, that’s not very specific,” Killer yanked on Kid’s ankle, messing with his balance but it was a way to jerk him out of his head, if only for a second. “What’s not right? The weather? Your lipstick? What?” it was easier to keep things light, try and lift Kid’s mood. Killer could read how worried the redhead was and usually a good ribbing cheered him up at least a little.

The levity didn’t have a visible impact on Kid’s demeanor, though subconsciously he was grateful his friend didn’t start standing on ceremony whenever he got all emotional. It was easier to deal with everything when Killer stayed steady. Outwardly, his main reaction was simply to scoot in closer to Killer until they were pressed together hip to elbow. That done, he tilted his head to rest on the other man’s shoulder, sighing deeply once he was settled. Even though he hadn’t answered Killer’s question yet it was clear he wasn’t ignoring the other man, he just needed a little more time - or encouragement - perhaps. 

Sighing, Killer relaxed a little and let Kid sink in against his side, “This a general sense of unease, or is this about Trafalgar?” He did his best not to sound derisive at the mention of the other captain, but it was a little difficult. All this time and he still couldn’t get a read on the fucker, couldn’t tell what he was really scheming behind the dark circles around his eyes. It bothered him. Especially if he was the reason his captain was in this funk. 

Kid’s sigh was almost petulant, like he thought Killer knew the answer already and was asking to make a point. But he did answer, eventually, “... Second thing.” They hadn’t parted on bad terms, not really. Just… weird ones. So why did it feel like something was out of place? This whole thing was messy and complicated and frustrating, except for the pure pockets of time when it wasn’t, when it was happy and light and sweet and felt so much like hope. He wasn’t ready to give up on that hope, not yet.

“Well, what’d the pretty boy do now?” Killer asked, trying to sound like he was joking. There were a lot of other terms he could have used for Trafalgar, ones that felt more accurate, but none that he felt Kid would really appreciate right now. He just hoped it wasn’t something that was going to cause a huge hang up. They still hadn’t figured out the Poneglyph rubbings and while it was great they’d been successful in getting them, they were useless unless someone could figure out how to decipher them. He needed his Captain to focus. 

While Kid wasn’t really interested in spilling all of Law’s secrets, he needed somebody to talk things through with. He did his best to keep things as surface level as possible, “Nightmare. Needed some time. I get it.” And Kid was being honest with that; he knew that there were times when his demons reared their heads and he needed to be alone. It wasn’t what had happened that had him on edge, but rather the feeling that it was more than just what it seemed. It was like something had shifted, but he couldn’t tell what it was.

“If you got it, you wouldn’t be so twisted up,” Killer observed pointedly. He had never coddled Kid before and he wasn’t about to start now. It wasn’t that he needed or even wanted the details of Trafalgar’s life, it was just that there had to be something more. Something that had Kid so on edge that he wasn’t sharing.

Scrubbing at his head, Kid grimaced and turned his face in tighter against Killer’s shoulder. What bothered him so much was that he didn’t have a real reason to be this jittery, he just… was. His voice was muffled by the fabric of Killer’s shirt as he spoke, unwilling to move from his current position, “... Yeah. I know. But… I don’t. Know. Just feel… weird.”

Sighing, Killer flopped his hand against the back of Kid’s head, ruffing his hair affectionately. “If you’re so put off, why don’t you head back to town today and see him? It’s been a few hours, right, he’s had space. It’ll clear your head, at least. Yara’s been talkin’ about wanting more of that fruit that grows on the mainland, anyway.” He wasn’t eager to send Kid running back to Trafalgar, but it seemed like the only solution to this particular problem.

A call to action. Kid liked that. Checking in person felt like he was actually doing something and Law couldn’t ignore him like he could a phone call. He wouldn’t even get pushy and demand to see him or spend a lot of time talking, if Law wasn’t ready yet. He just needed a little… reassurance, that was all. A simple statement that Law was okay, that they were okay. Go to the mainland. Check on him and his gaudy fucking yellow submarine. That was a good plan. He told Killer as much immediately afterwards, “Okay. Good plan.”

“Yeah, I know. I’m the brains of the operation after all.” Rising, Killer clapped Kid on the shoulder then ran his fingers through his hair. “I’ll run interference with the boss lady, but I’d advise against being gone all day,” though still out of it, Kid seemed more focused now, as usual when he had a set goal. Inaction wasn’t good for him, not when he was uncertain about something. At least for a couple hours, Yara wouldn’t be too hard to wrangle.

Nodding, Kid took a deep breath before pushing himself to his feet as well, deciding he needed a bath and a little grooming before he went anywhere. Last night had been thoroughly enjoyable, but as the day crept on he felt sticky in odd places and so completely sore. Maybe a bit of a soak would help him act a little less sullen as he made his way back to the Polar Tang. 

Was that the final mistake he’d made? 

That was the question that kept floating around in Kid’s head, obtuse and vicious as he stood on the end of the dock where the sub in question had been lashed, the dock that now protruded into the harbor completely devoid of anything that mattered. If he hadn’t taken an hour to calm down and clean up, if he’d gotten here sooner, would that yellow monstrosity still be here? 

Focusing on that question, on trying to decide whether or not he should be berating himself for having taken a bath, stopped Kid from getting sucked into the vortex swirling just out of sight, the one that was nonetheless screaming at the edges of his mind _Where’s Law? WHERE’S LAW?!_

It turned out to be a good thing, in the end, that he’d travelled to the mainland separately from Killer and Yara. It meant he didn’t have to fake conversation or pretend everything was fine for his sister’s sake. While his rational side kept trying to convince Kid that this was entirely normal, that there were a million and one reasons Law would have relocated his ship, that he was just somewhere else on the island and Kid was freaking out over nothing, the feeling of unease that had settled in his gut this morning had fully bloomed into panic. Something was wrong. 

Moving so fast he basically fled through the main cavern, Kid threw himself into his sleeping nook and grabbed his transponder snail so fast it made the poor thing’s head spin. He dialed the number he knew by heart without thought, starting to pace in the tiny space as he waited for an answer. Law would answer. He would. This would all be fine. 

The transponder snail chirped its usual call. Law knew it was Kid without any confirmation other than the feeling in his chest. Like he’d left behind something important in his rush to leave. Like he was making a mistake. It was the strongest dichotomy he could ever remember feeling between his head and his heart; he’d never been torn like this before. 

It was frustrating; his feelings shouldn’t matter. For over a decade Law had done what was logical and ignored what his heart may have wanted. Why was it so hard now? How could he have let himself get so attached that it was difficult at all? Law let the transponder snail ring until it grew silent once more, and the silence hollowed him out like he was one of the victims in his nightmare, chest exposed and heartless. 

“Still asleep, that’s all,” Kid mumbled to himself as though he was a madman, driven to play pretend to avoid the reality in front of his face, “Just… call until he wakes up.” It didn’t matter that the thought was illogical, that it was so deep into the afternoon there was no way Law was still in bed, that all the times before when he’d called at odd hours Law had answered almost immediately. All that mattered was the fact that he had a solution. 

He was going to call until Law answered. And so he did, letting the little snail ring through time and time again. He was trying to hold off panic, or at least that’s what he wanted to believe, but he’d long edged past that and was veering into sheer desperation and, to be honest, the start of a little anger. 

There were only short breaks between the calls, enough to gasp for air before he was held under, forced to listen to the sound of desperation bleeding through the line. Any other time Law could ignore it forever. Any other time he’d have left. Any other time he’d _never have let it get this far._ It was the fourth call before he gave in; sooner than he would have liked. Law wanted to snap, wanted to funnel his anger through to Kid, but when he spoke he just sounded tired, “...hello.”

Kid had been ready to yell. At Law for not picking up. No. Not his fault. At the damn snail for being broken. At the dock for not being strong enough to hold the Polar Tang. Into the stale, moist air of his room, for lack of anything better. But then Law answered and Kid felt relief sink in so palpable it hurt, “Law. Fuck. Finally. Hey. Hey, you good?” Sinking down onto his bed, Kid let his elbows rest on his knees as he pillowed the receiver against one ear. Law answered. Things were fine. 

God, it was good to hear his voice. So good. Too good. Law steeled himself, fist clenched against his thigh beneath the desk. At best, he was cutting ties because if he didn’t he’d get Kid and his crew killed. At worst, he just didn’t have the emotional energy to waste on a relationship anymore. Law didn’t know which it was; they both felt true. They both felt… right. “...Fine. You shouldn’t call anymore,” the words hurt before he could even speak them but no, no. This was what was right. This was necessary. 

As Law’s words filtered through the line Kid had to blink once, twice, three times before he managed to fully process them and even then, they didn’t make sense. “... What?” his voice sounded so incredulous, so deeply confused, that there was no way Law could mistake the fact that he’d just blindsided the redhead so completely he was at a total loss.

Shutting his eyes, Law willed himself to breathe, though the expansion of his lungs made his ribs ache. Everything hurt. “...You have the One Piece to find. I have a Warlord to defeat. There’s no reason to cross paths anymore,” he wanted to sound rational, his usual detached self but even to his own ears the words were hollow. Devoid of any emotion, completely empty. 

What - was this Law fucking… breaking up with him, or something, or whatever? Was that even the right thing to call it? Who cared. “What the fuck,” the words came out like a shot, the disbelief giving way to anger, “what?” Like hell Kid was just going to let this conversation happen the way Law seemed to want it, short and to the point. If he wanted to pull this shit, he was going to have to fucking explain himself. 

Why was this so goddamn hard? (Because you don’t really want to leave.) Why had he let Kid get so close? (He made you happy.) It was dangerous. There was a reason it hadn’t happened before. (Cora-san would want you to be happy.) Law felt himself rhythmically pounding his still clenched fist against his thigh, like something inside him was trying to break free, something he would do anything to keep contained. (Just let yourself be happy.) “You fucking heard me,” Law growled finally, though the anger wasn’t hot and sharp - it was icy, bitter. Brittle. 

This was… this was unacceptable. Kid had already put up with a lot; Law had played hot and cold before but they hadn’t been that close yet and they’d worked through it. But revealing the truth about his past to Law, that had been a watershed moment for him, a sign that he truly had put his full faith into the other man. And here the asshole was, hardly two months later, trying to call it all off over… Over what? 

Last night had been the penultimate sign of that, the vulnerability Kid had exhibited and trusted Law to care for turning from a sense of empowerment into a low, sick churn in the pit of his stomach. One thing he wasn’t going to accept right now was any semblance of anger on the other man’s part, “Fuck you. Keep your fucking tone in line.” What right did Law have to be angry right now?

What right did Law have to do this at all? Suddenly, in a rush, Kid was snarling through the phone, words he didn’t even fully process before they were unleashed down the line, “What, this some long game to fuck me and move on? Am I a fucking trophy to you? What is it? What is this? Fucking bullshit! Fuck you, Trafalgar, fuck you!”

**_SNAP_ **

The ache in his ribs suddenly cracked and Law felt split in half, bone shards puncturing his lungs and stealing his air. _Trafalgar._ For a moment it seemed like his dream had returned, only this time in reverse. He could see clearly but slowly the image of his desk blurred into nothingness and darkened. Was he still sleeping? Was this part of the nightmare too?

When the burn in his lungs became too strong, Law felt his body breathe on its own, shaky and stuttering. The rush of air became a sharp gasp and he clenched his teeth to contain the sound too late. His vision cleared all at once and the sudden clarity was confusing until the wetness tracking down his face registered. 

_Am I… crying…?_

There were long seconds when the only sound to be heard were Law’s choked, ragged breaths before he realized he had to either respond or hang up. But his body wouldn’t move so his only option was to speak, each word as brittle as morning frost, “...It isn’t about you.”

Kid had been ready and raring to keep going, to tear Law apart verbally if that was the only option left to him, but what filtered through to his senses was the ragged quality of Law’s breathing, the hitched way he seemed to choke on his own air. “What the hell are you going on about?” the anger - the pain - was still there, but Kid managed to grate the words out with some semblance of control, though where he got it from he had no idea.

When had he gotten so weak? Nightmares always drained his energy, always made Law feel like everything inside him had been hollowed out so he was nothing more than skin. This time was no different and the mental and emotional energy he was expending was making him dizzy. Law pressed his hand over his face, cutting off his vision so there was less overwhelming stimuli to process. 

Kid had given him the perfect excuse, the perfect out, the perfect way to ensure ties were cut forever. But the idea of following through on that brought back, in perfect detail, the memory of being locked in a treasure chest screaming at the top of his lungs while six gunshots stole away the only happiness he ever thought he’d have. And this time it was his finger on the trigger. 

“I’m not… that’s not… I just have to go…” For someone so well spoken, so good at manipulating a situation, Law felt as helpless as he had when he was ten years old and the world was burning around him. He hated every second of this conversation and suffered for it, too.

“Go where,” while the snap of his words were vicious, Kid was trying to hard to hold on to something, to believe that Law wouldn’t actually do this to him, that he wasn’t as miserable and awful and abusive as Killer had worried, “Dressrosa?” The question came half as an attack and half as a plea to understand, though Kid tried to make it seem like more of the former, “That’s shit, you fuckin’ know it, t’just bolt. Taking two fucking hours t’say goodbye or fuckin’ talk t’me wouldn’ta made a difference!”

The very idea of saying goodbye felt constricting. It meant he had someone to say goodbye to, something meaningful he was leaving behind and that was the whole point of leaving the way he had. Law didn’t want there to be something left behind. He wanted to go to Dressrosa without missing anything because the likelihood it would kill him was too high to have regrets. Of course, leaving his crew was bad enough but he’d had years to come to terms with going and never seeing them again. There hadn’t been enough time for that with Kid and now that Law was thinking about he, he couldn’t imagine that there ever would be. 

The longer Law took to respond, the more restless Kid got. He could hear the way the other man seemed to be laboring to breathe, struggling to find air, and that was perhaps the only thing that stopped him from flying off the handle. It mattered that Law was struggling with this, made it seem a little less like a use and abuse kind of situation. That didn’t mean he was going to be patient forever, “Answer me!”

“...what?” The word was soft, barely audible as speech. Clearly Law was still distracted. That they’d left this morning at all was a result of the fight or flight adrenaline reaction that followed every nightmare. There was nothing tangible to fight, so he’d left. It was a habit, it was as ingrained in him as his Devil Fruit’s power, part of his DNA. But now that Kid had called he was questioning the reason he’d left, whether or not it’d been the right thing to do after all. That had never happened before. 

Kid had no problem filling Law in on the things he wanted answers to. None at all, “What the hell made you think up and fucking leaving was okay, Law?!” The switch back to Law’s given name had happened without thought, just as the switch to using his family name had happened on instinct as well. It was perhaps one of the few signs Kid would be willing to give that he wanted this fixed before Law managed to break it irreparably. 

This cycle of feeling weak and helpless bled into frustration and impotent anger with himself for allowing it to get this bad. “I don’t answer to you, I can come and go as I please,” Law snapped, though even as he spoke he knew the anger was misplaced, more easily directed outward than in, where it belonged.

This time Kid felt his own throat closing up as his free hand clenched in a fist so tight it hurt. If Law wanted to be that way then let him, “Fine. You leave like this, you’re an enemy again, just like every else on this damn sea.” Honestly, Kid was done. This was his line in the sand. If Law couldn’t get his shit together, treat him with the respect every human deserved, then he was done playing around. He was a fucking idiot, is what he was, and he could only be grateful that he knew Killer wouldn’t rub his face in it while he was trying to lick his wounds. 

Part of Law thought that he would be fine with letting Kid think the worst of him. But the fact that the voice in his head urging him to cut ties no longer sounded like his own said otherwise. Doflamingo’s scythe smile from the nightmare cut across his vision, words echoing in his head. _’It’s just me and you now, Law.’_ “I was never your enemy to begin with,” Law insisted, the edge of anger gone just as quickly as it’d come. 

“You’re gonna be,” this time, Kid corralled his voice into something quiet and cruel, a promise. He’d trusted Law with almost everything that mattered and now all he could hear was Killer’s voice in his head, repeating every warning he’d ever given about the small sylph of a man with raven colored hair and tattoos too cryptic to mean anything good. “... Hate you for proving Kill right,” he’d meant it to be barbed - he hated that it came out sounding brokenhearted.

“I didn’t prove anything. I just left.” Law realized now that the timing was poor; of course Kid would attribute his flight to what had happened between them and not the skeletons in his closet. Not the nightmare. Not his sudden fear that there would be one more person he loved who would die for him, because of him. Kid didn’t know that the “L” word made his stomach clench with nausea. He didn’t know it was Law’s own personal curse. And Law wasn’t capable of telling him. 

Kid couldn’t do this anymore. Couldn’t have this conversation, “Then leave.” In a fit of sorrow and rage he chucked the snail across the room so hard its shell broke when it hit the wall. Later he’d feel guilt for killing the little thing but for now all he felt was barren, like someone had flayed the skin from his body and left him exposed to wither away in the afternoon sun. What was he supposed to do now? 

… Focus. He should focus. That’s what he was supposed to do. On his goals, on his sworn brother, on his little sister. He had Poneglyphs to find, rubbings to collect, strange languages to decipher, the title of Pirate King to take. He didn’t need Trafalgar Law. He didn’t need anything - or anyone - he didn’t already have. What he needed was a little time to clear his head, that was all. A walk (or an angry prowl, really) until the clamor in his mind settled down and he could get back on track.

When he left the cave it was with that intensity of purpose, forcing himself to focus on his goals and rethink his priorities as he headed out into the dense forest. It was almost impossible to avoid the thoughts of _Who do I think I am? Stupid, thinking y’were actually important to him._ but he tried. The plan was to take a few hours, let the heat and the exertion and the time settle him. Hopefully, when he felt up to returning, Killer and Yara would be back and he could lose himself in the only people in this world who’d never hurt him.

As though she could sense something was wrong, Yara was pacing by the cave entrance once Kid returned. “There you are!” she huffed, running up and launching her little body at him, clinging to his waist like a monkey before deftly pulling herself up and essentially climbing him until she’d reached his shoulders. Though Yara often sought attention from her brother, she had outgrown such insistent clinginess unless there was something amiss. “Where’d you go?”

“Just for a walk, kiddo,” knowing that it was likely she’d be back, Kid had spent the last half hour putting his game face on and doing his best to hide the fact that anything was wrong. Letting her scramble up to his shoulders, Kid helped Yara settle before he headed back into the cave, “How was your trip t’the market?”

“Good. We got barrels of fruit so we don’t run out and Killer said if it starts to go bad he’ll make moonshine from it.” Hooking her knees over the front of Kid’s shoulders, Yara found her balance and wound her fingers into her brother’s hair for stability, careful not to pull, “We got back an hour ago. That musta been a long walk.”

“Yeah, it’s nice out,” wrapping his hands around her ankles, Kid made his way through the main chamber, looking around for the telltale long blonde locks of his second. Finding him in a far corner hunched over one of their rough hewn tables and looking pensive, Kid sighed and headed in that direction - he didn’t need Killer all in a ruffle today, too.

Yara couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. Kid’s shoulders felt all bunched and his attention seemed scattered. She wasn’t sure why that was, though, so she did her best not to speculate. When she saw where they were headed, she tugged lightly on Kid’s hair to get his attention, “Killer’s been looking at that paper for, like... Ever. What is it?”

Kid latched on to that topic immediately - it was as safe and easy to talk about as anything could possible have been at this point. Sinking down onto the bench across from Killer, the redhead carefully shifted Yara until she was setting on the table between them, where she could see the rubbing stretched between Killer’s hands, “It’s what we went on that trip for. It’s a rubbing from the Poneglyph. We just… have’t figure out how’t read it.”

“...did you forget how to read…?” Yara wondered aloud, tilting her head as she looked between the two. She couldn’t really make it out from where she was, but it was difficult to understand why they couldn’t just read the words. Maybe it was written all old-timey so it was hard to understand? There were some history books she’d found that were like that and Kid hadn’t been able to make much sense of them either.

Clicking his tongue at her, Kid shook his head, “Rude.” Of course she was, she was his sister after all. “S’not in our language,” came the response, perhaps the tiniest bit testy. What was frustrating was that it didn’t even look like it was written in _a_ language at all, which would have meant they could find a translator, but rather a series of little drawings that made zero to no sense at all. 

Now that she was closer, Yara could tell that the letters were bent and curled oddly. But the more she focused, the more… familiar the writing seemed. Glancing at Kid and Killer, who both seemed puzzled and frustrated by the mystery of the text, Yara scooted closer. “Can I see it?” she asked, wanting some space to look at the whole thing without their giant heads in the way.

Killer agreed with a grunt, shifting to show her the piece of paper with the quiet comment of, “It’s important.” The _be careful_ was left unsaid but insinuated; he knew Yara would pick up on it. Neither of the men expected anything from Yara other than the same confusion they felt, but they always tried to be respectful of her and encourage her curiosity, so they let her look anyway.

Gently taking the edges of the paper in either hand, Yara stretched her legs out in front of her and rested the rubbing in her lap. Starting at the top, she looked over the paper slowly from there down. The farther she got, the more the letters seemed to bend and shift, as though her eyes were rearranging the shapes into something familiar. Since it was a rubbing, some parts were fainter than others, so it took some time to make out all the letters, but by the time she was finished Yara felt confident that she understood the words. “...I think I know what it says.”

It took a monumental effort, but Kid managed to hold in the sigh he wanted to heave. She was just trying to be helpful, he reminded himself, wanted to feel useful and smart like anyone else. Being dismissive wouldn’t do anything but make her feel bad. So he played along, “Yeah, what’s that, Yar?”

That part was harder to explain; though she could say what the words were, that didn’t mean it made a whole lot of sense. “Hold on,” she said, biting her lip as she started again from the beginning. It required a lot of focus and she felt a bit like she was going cross-eyed, but the more she looked, the more it was like a voice was whispering in her ear, helping her make sense of things. “...it’s like a written down map. Instead of the picture maps you have, it’s like… a description of how to get to a place.”

That caught Kid’s attention, his lips pursing in a faint frown as he watched her. To be fair, she knew they were after a way to find Raftel, so maybe she was just doing a really good job of playing along, but even still… “Okay. Where does it want us to go?” Though he was skeptical, something at the back of Kid’s mind kept reminding him, _She’s a “D.” She’s a “D.”_

“Uhh, it’s kinda weird. It’s like its missing pieces? It’s got directions like East and North but all the name of places aren’t there.” Pausing, Yara lifted her head with a frown, feeling suddenly uneasy like she’d just come across something she wasn’t supposed to. “...you guys really can’t read this?”

Neither one of them answered her right away, as both men were too busy staring at each other over the top of her head, silently asking the same question - could it be, could she actually be reading the rubbing? But they both knew her tells like the backs of their hands, when she was lying or playing around she giggled a lot and gave smiles so big they were obviously purposeful, as though she could get them to submit just by sheer force of cute. But she wasn’t doing that now. She wasn’t even close.

Their silence felt a little oppressive, like there was something they weren’t telling her. Pursing her lips, Yara stood up on the table to get their attention more forcefully. “Hey, I’m talkin’ ta you. Are you playing a joke on me? It’s not funny.” Pouting, Yara crossed her arms, holding the corner of the rubbing between her fingers, careful not to wrinkle it. 

Well. That little auburn head certainly knew how to get attention. It was funny, how much more like Kid she started to sound with every passing year. Jolted from his thoughts, the redhead looked down at his sister and shook his head, voice level as he answered her, “No. We’re not joking. I got no idea what that says.”

Yara couldn’t pinpoint the exact thing she was feeling when she recognized that Kid wasn’t trying to pull a fast one. It was undoubtedly exciting to be able to understand the words, like she possessed some sort of truth-revealing magic. On the other hand, though… how? Why? It felt like a lot of responsibility all of a sudden. “...shit.”

The bark of laughter that immediately drew from both Kid and Killer was loud, echoing through the room. It also managed to break the tension as they both settled back into their seats, posture relaxing somewhat. Shaking his head in rueful amusement, Kid reached out and gently tugged on her braids, “Shit’s right. But in a good way. If you can read that, Sprout… I dunno how, or why, but it means you’re gonna be the reason we find Raftel.”

“...Really?” for so long, Yara had wanted to be a real part of the crew. She helped out in the kitchen, peeling potatoes and occasionally helping chop vegetables. She cleaned up sometimes, though that didn’t really feel like she was a pirate. Her whole life she’d been rushing to catch up to her brother in terms of strength, fighting ability, and strategy but she knew she wasn’t even close. But this… this was important. This was something only she could do. This made her a real pirate.

Nodding, the affection in his voice was clear as he responded, “Really, really.” It made no sense, why she would be able to decipher the Poneglyphs, but when did anything that had happened to them actually make sense? The Grand Line was basically known for not making sense anyway, so maybe that meant the fact she could read it did make sense. No sense in fretting about it, it was only going to make his head hurt.

Though there was still the sense of ease from the unknown, excitement outweighed anything else in the moment. Letting the rubbing drop to the table, Yara turned and barreled into Kid, throwing her arms around his neck. “So I’m a real pirate now! I can do super important stuff! Does this mean I get to help Wire with maps and stuff?”

Oh, but she’d always be able to make him smile, wouldn’t she? Wrapping his arms around Yara, Kid lifted her to stand in his lap and hugged her back, unable to resist the grin spreading across his face at how happy she sounded, “Y’should help him start draftin’ one, yeah.” He spread the fingers of one hand out over her back, letting the heat of his body seep through, keeping her close and safe. She was everything that mattered. She always would be. 

“Did you hear that, Killer?!” Bending backward so she could still hold on to Kid, she grinned at Killer upside down. “I’m like a Navigator now! That’s what you gotta call me.” None of the men on her brother’s crew had ever made her feel unwelcome or out of place, but having her own job made her feel more included than anything else ever could.

Killer’s response was a warm, quiet smile and a head nod of acknowledgement. He’d call her whatever she wanted. She was family to him. The two Eustass siblings sitting across from him were his reason for existing, at this point. Together, the three of them were going to make waves, spread a tsunami of change across this entire world and destroy anything that gets in their way. He couldn’t imagine being without them. 

As the day wore on, Killer watched as Kid encouraged Yara to translate as much as she could of the rubbing. With so much missing from the instructions, it was difficult to make sense of, but Wire started making footnotes on the master map of the Grand Line they’d been piecing together so it was progress. Significant progress. 

Even considering the excitement of Yara’s discovery, Killer could sense there was something wrong with Kid. His joy was… restrained, somehow. Like there was something equally unnerving weighing on him. Given their conversation that morning about something being up with Trafalgar, Killer had a pretty good idea who the culprit was.

That night, without needing an invitation, Killer made his way to his captain’s quarters. Unsurprisingly, he wasn’t alone; Yara was already curled up and snoring. Rather than waiting for Kid to acknowledge him, Killer made his way to the open side of the bed and started to slip between the sheets, “Hey.”

At Killer’s appearance, Kid took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He’d needed this all day, but it didn’t actually mean he wanted to have the conversation. He’d prefer to just curl up around his second and not talk at all, but he owed Killer an explanation. “Hey,” the responding greeting was quiet, Kid falling silent again until Killer was fully in bed. From there, Kid moved to press up against Killer’s side and half hide his face in the wild blond waves that billowed over the other man’s shoulders. 

“...I take it things didn’t go well on the mainland?” Killer wanted to pry, but if Kid wasn’t ready to talk he’d take a simple yes or no answer. He hadn’t wanted to be right about Trafalgar. He just wanted to warn Kid and if he had proceeded in spite of his better judgement and got hurt, Killer didn’t take any joy in rubbing it in. He had recognized how happy the redhead had been and in his heart, really had hoped it would continue. 

Kid was quiet for a few beats longer before he finally gave in and shook his head, the movement small against the bulk of Killer’s body. But it was noticeable and carried just as much weight as any words Kid could have said. It hadn’t gone well. It hadn’t gone well at all. He knew he needed to actually speak, to give Killer the whole story, but he was having a hard time formulating the words.

Kid and Trafalgar had gotten into spats and tiffs before and though he knew that this felt different from those times, he didn’t want to jump to conclusions. “...how bad is bad?” Killer hated anyone who made his captain feel small and given the way he was acting it was safe to say that was the case now. He was running out of forgiveness for the other captain.

What was the point in trying to mince words? To make things easier on himself? He was the idiot who should have listened to Killer in the first place, this was entirely his fault. He had to swallow past the sudden lump in his throat numerous times, but finally Kid managed to respond in the barest of terms, “It’s over.” Fuck, but saying it aloud hurt bad enough he curled inward on himself, pressing his face even further into the curtain of Killer’s hair. 

Killer had to breathe in deep through his nose to keep from acting on the urge to find that scrawny Northern bastard and string him up by his ears. “...I’m sorry, Kid. I didn’t want that to happen.” In spite of his anger, his words rang true. He hadn’t wanted to see his captain hurt, not after he’d been so happy. 

Kid’s nod was acknowledgement enough that he knew that, even in spite of Killer’s persistent doubt about the whole thing. Did he tell him any more right now, walk him through the details, reveal what they’d done right before Law had kicked him out, left without a word, then acted like a prick on the other end of the line? … No. Not tonight. He didn’t have that in him tonight. 

“We’ll wreck him later,” Killer promised, the edge in his tone showing his intention to live up to his name. “Try to sleep for now. We’ve got other Poneglyphs to find. Wire’s working on sorting out where the other three might be. We’ve got something no one else has; it’s so rare to find someone who can read those things. I always knew Yara was special.” Changing the subject felt right; it was too soon to bother Kid for details, and the distraction was positive. A plan of action.

Though it was wan, those words did bring a smile to his face. Today certainly had been a day of ups and downs, hadn’t it? The highest of highs and the lowest of lows. No. Fuck. He was not about to let Trafalgar make the day he realized his sister could translate the Poneglyphs into anything but a spectacular day, one worthy of celebration, “Right. She is. She is.” 

_Focus on what you have, Kid,_ the voice in his head was clear, insistent, _’cause you’re so fuckin’ lucky you have it. He_ doesn’t _matter._


	29. Whiplash

On Law’s end, the call had ended with a sudden bang, then nothing, the snail holding itself limp now that it’d been cut off. A lot of things were changing at breakneck speed. He had opened up to someone again and if he was going to be heartbroken about losing Kid it was his own damn fault. He had nothing else to blame but his own choices and he desperately, truly didn’t want this to be how it ended between them. 

This morning his decision to leave had been born from the gut-wrenching fear he knew all too well. But right now, as the fear faded and Kid challenged him to confront the driving force behind his actions - whether he intended to or not - Law realized it was a mistake. He still didn’t want to drag Kid into danger, but that didn’t mean cutting him off entirely. If he did live through this ordeal at Dressrosa… he knew what he wanted to go back to. 

These last few hours felt like he’d been swimming against the tide, desperately fighting to reach the shore again - something solid, something that made sense. And that final thought, it was the shore. It was the clarity he needed. Law had never anticipated living through defeating Doflamingo. He made his peace with it, kept even his crew at a distance so he’d be able to let go. He wouldn’t need to go on as a pirate anyway, if he was successful. But now, he had a purpose. Something, someone, he wanted to come back to. 

Judging by how numb the backs of his thighs were when he finally stood, Law guessed he’d been sitting for nearly an hour while he processed all of that after the call ended. The static in his legs made his gait unsteady but he pushed through, wandering the halls of the Polar Tang until he found Bepo. “...how quickly can you get us back?”

The mink turned to face his captain slowly, almost to the point where it was comical. The quizzical look on his face was conveyed mostly by the slant of his brow and the tilt of his head as he looked at his captain, “... Back?” Was Law sick, was that why he was bouncing so quickly from one thing to the next, then back again? It was unlike him to do things so… haphazardly. 

“Yes. Back. We haven’t gone that far, we should still… be able to find our way back...” it occurred to Law, then, that the log pose would be pointing at the next island. Litchpond was behind them, the island’s record having been complete months ago. It was possible to make their way back without a log pose from this distance, but this was the Grand Line. It was dangerous. Law’s palm moved to his forehead, fingers pulling at the ends of his hair, “...Fuck.”

Bepo had his suspicions, but he did his best not to work on assumptions - at least, not with this topic, “Why are we going back, Captain?” If it had to do with the captain of the Black Rose Bepo wouldn’t begrudge Law, but he wanted to know if that’s why a deviation from their course to Dressrosa was being ordered. 

Clenching his fist tighter, Law let the sharp pain ground him as he exhaled sharply, “...Because I want to. I… left something behind.” His crew didn’t know what happened and Law wasn’t yet stable enough to explain it, “Can you get us back there without the log pose, Bepo?” 

Blinking at that, Bepo broke into a nervous smile, voice gentle like he was trying to calm someone unstable, “We have an eternal pose there, Captain. That man you did all that work for, he gave it to you in thanks, remember?” Not that it mattered. It didn’t matter. Remembering wasn’t the captain’s job. It was the navigator’s. 

Lifting his paws, Bepo shook them back and forth as he started stammering, “N-not that you have to. Remember those things. Yes! Yes, Captain Law, I can get us back. I will! I’m going now!” That said the mink turned on his heel and headed in the direction of the helm, ready to direct the Polar Tang wherever it was Law wanted it.

...Right. Eternal Pose. Law felt all the tension leak out of him at once and he almost toppled over at how exhausted he was. If this back and forth was whiplash for anyone else, it was hell for him. For years he’d practically kept the person he was growing into locked away, only allowing the parts that were useful in seeking revenge have any freedom. But these past few months, more and more of the shackles holding him back had fallen away and now Law was forced to face that truth he’d kept hidden for so long. It was crippling.

Bepo made quick work of reorienting the Polar Tang, pointing it back toward the island of Law’s choice. It seemed to make the most sense to return to where they’d been docked previously so that’s where he headed now, the rest of the crew trickling in from time to time to ask why the sudden change in direction. The response was a steady, “Captain’s orders.” What was funny, he thought, was that nobody went to ask said captain the same question. 

About an hour later, Ikkaku joined Bepo, holding a large tray of food. “Dinnertime. It’s your favorite.” She set the meal down on a table to the side of the controls and frowned as she studied the mink, “I wondered where you were. I heard the captain changed his mind about leaving. Do you know what’s going on?” 

Bepo eyed the food hungrily but didn’t stop in his work. Technically he should have been able to turn things over to their helmsman after he’d charted their new course, but Law had specifically asked Bepo to get them back and he’d seemed so… heartsick about it that the mink knew he had to carry out those orders to the absolute fullest of his capacity. Shaking his head at Ikkaku’s question he just sighed a little, watching the water through the porthole as it rippled by. 

“...I’m worried about him too. He’s just… wandering around like he doesn’t know where he is.” With a sigh, Ikkaku gestured at the controls, “I can take over just while you eat. Penguin and Shachi are trying to figure out how to snap the Captain out of whatever funk he’s in and I could use the distraction, honestly.”

After a moment’s deliberation, Bepo’s response came slow and heavy, like agreeing to her request took a lot out of him, “... Oh. Okay.” He would just eat as quickly as he could and then take back over. He was still the one charged with their return and leaving it to anyone else felt risky and rude. He was worried sick about Law too, just like the others, and Ikkaku wasn’t the only one who needed the distraction. 

Ikkaku felt herself relax when Bepo agreed to take a break so he could eat. Sometimes it seemed like all the men around her had such one-track minds they forgot they could multitask and it was her job to remind them, “Thanks, Bepo. … Maybe you should join Penguin and Shachi? The three of you know the captain better than anyone. If there’s anyone here who can figure out how to get him back to himself, its you.”

At that suggestion, Bepo immediately shook his head so fast it made him dizzy. He had his orders and he was going to complete them, that was how he was going to help get the captain back to normal. Penguin and Shachi were better at the whole talking thing anyway and besides, Bepo had already tried that. It didn’t work. 

With a sigh, Ikkaku nodded; she should have known that wasn’t going to work judging by the fact that Bepo had to be convinced to even eat, “Yeah, okay. Just don’t choke on any of those fishbones, all right?” 

The look Bepo shot her then was offended and his words curt, “I’m not a cub.” But even still, he was grateful to have her here, to have company and warm food both. He ate quickly though when he was ready to return to work he didn’t kick her out. Rather, Bepo offered to let her keep helping, even though they both knew it was a manageable one person job; it was just that they both needed something to do. 

After several minutes of companionable silence, Bepo settled back in at the helm while Ikkaku watched the sealife out the porthole. It didn’t take long before she shifted uncomfortably, eyes darting from the water to the mink and back, “...I’ve never seen him like this before. Whatever got under his skin must be pretty big. Wish he’d talk to us about it.”

“Me too,” the remorse in Bepo’s voice was heavy, his eyes wide and sad, “but he never wants to talk about anything.” And how true that was; Law was a brilliant man, clever strategist, d astonishingly powerful Devil Fruit user, and above all a friend to all of them. But there were days that Bepo had to wonder - how did they come to consider the Captain a friend? He certainly hadn’t invited that himself.

“Well, I don’t know if that’s true. He’s been pretty open with us recently, hasn’t he?” That was perhaps the biggest thing making this most recent episode of the captain’s so strange. He _had_ been more talkative lately, involving himself with the rest of the crew in ways he hadn’t since she joined. Ikkaku knew that wasn’t a small feat for Law and now they were all feeling his absence that much more.

“Talkative, sure,” Bepo did concede that point, though he would argue that it didn’t mean Law had actually opened up about anything. At least, not verbally. The hand holding between him and the crazy captain had thrown them all for a loop the first few times they’d seen it, sent them off gossiping in their rooms when they were fairly certain Law wouldn’t be around to hear, but it wasn’t like Law had come out and declared that they were in love. 

“...it felt like that meant he was starting to open up to us, anyway. Though I guess if anyone would know for sure, it’d be you. You’re his favorite, I think,” Ikkaku observed with no hint of jealousy, offering a smile and a wink when she’d gotten Bepo’s attention. Maybe it would help cheer him up, too, since the mink seemed so despondent. 

Lifting his head to meet Ikakku’s eyes, the fur above Bepo’s eyes knitted together like he wasn’t sure if she was being honest or not. Licking his lips, he had a few false starts before finally figuring out what he wanted to say, “Y-you do? I thought it was Penguin…” Not that Bepo felt like Law had to have favorites at all, but the thought of his captain liking him that much did fill him with warmth from ear to paw pad. 

“Nah. Even Peng thinks you’re the captain’s favorite.” Ikkaku’s smile brightened when she picked up on the way Bepo’s mood seemed to lift at her comment. “He might have made Penguin his First Mate, but only because you’re the Navigator. Besides, he picks on Penguin but he’s always real sweet to you.”

The blush that colored Bepo’s cheeks was so bright it showed through the thick fur of his face. Bashfully brushing at his nose, the mink did his best to hide a smile behind his paw but he wasn’t very successful at it. After rocking back and forth in his spot a couple times he responded with a happy little chirp in his voice, “If you really think so.”

“Yeah, I do,” reaching out, Ikkaku patted the top of Bepo’s head lightly, having to stretch her arm out to its full length to even reach. “You’re freakin’ tall, you know that?” she asked with a laugh as her effort nearly failed. 

Though he was grateful for the head pats and leaned into them with joy, his voice was rather crisp when he chose to respond to her words, “I am of average height for a mink of my species, thank you.” From time to time, Bepo could get a bit prickly about the specifics of his people, since so many humans seemed content being willfully ignorant about them.

“Sure, but I’m not a mink of your species. I’m just a little human. You’re tall compared to me, is all.” Realizing this was an opportunity to give Bepo something to focus on other than the mental well-being of their captain, Ikkaku rested her chin in her hand, elbow resting on the console as she studied her companion, “You know, Bepo… you’re the only person I know who’s seen Zou. What’s it like?”

If there was one thing Bepo loved other than the crew of the Polar Tang, it was his homeland. Though his brother was still too sore a topic to discuss in detail, he had enough tales of wonder and the beauty of his land to entertain Ikkaku for at least the rest of the day, if not longer, and he jumped into them with relish, telling her of everything from sunsets to wedding ceremonies. 

Their conversation lasted until well after the sun had gone down, the large floodlight on the front of the Polar Tang lighting the way as Bepo navigated them through the waters. Penguin interrupted after a few hours, surprised when he entered and saw Ikkaku, “Oh. Hey. There you are. Uhh, Bepo, do you know how far out we are? Captain’s sitting in front of the big porthole just staring and it’s freaking us all out.”

Ikakku’s irreverent two fingered salute in acknowledgement of her boyfriend’s words made quite the picture next to Bepo’s officious, proper answer to his higher ranking crew member, “Of course! We shall make landfall within the turn of the hour!” When it came to the things Law needed, Bepo couldn’t possibly take them any more seriously than he already did.

Had it been any other situation, Penguin knew Bepo wouldn’t have been so serious but the mink took their captain’s requests as though they were law, “Good. I’ll let him know. He’s not eating, again.” Penguin collapsed into the chair next to Ikkaku, knowing he looked as shitty as he felt. He and Shachi had been brainstorming and experimenting with every single thing they could think of to lift Law’s spirits but it seemed like the only thing that had any chance of lifting his mood was getting back to Litchpond. 

The best way Law’s crew had to show their love was to fret, which they did in spades, though they knew enough to try and hide it from their Captain. In the control room, the three of them passed the remainder of the trip together in what constituted silence, for the most part, though at one point Ikkaku had relocated herself to curl up in her boyfriend’s lap - he looked like he needed some love and support at this point, too. 

When they sailed smoothly into port at Litchpond, watched over by the glittering eye of the moon, nobody really made any move to tell Law; they all knew that he was watching and waiting for it and getting in his way now that they were here didn’t seem like a good idea to anyone. 

Law could feel the shift as the Polar Tang moved to surface, and the closer they got to shore, the more Law felt like a functioning person again. All he’d really been able to process since the phone call was that he didn’t want to lose another precious person - and this time if he did it was his own fault. Unlike Cora-san, this was something he could fix. And if he wanted to come back after his business at Dressrosa was finished, he would need to otherwise there would be nothing left to come back to. 

Once they surfaced and the familiar sights of Litchpond came into view, Law felt like he could breathe again. There wasn’t much to do on the way back and the stillness drove him half crazy, but now he could take action. Using his power, he jumped back to his room from the front of the ship, reaching for the transponder snail. Judging by the sudden, violent end to his call with Kid, it was unlikely that there would be a connection anymore, but he had to try. He had to know for sure what he was working with.

The moment Law finished dialing the number he’d used to so reliably reach Kid countless times before, the line crackled and shot back a sharp, loud squelch of static before immediately going dead. It was a sound Law had heard before, back when he was young and had tried to call Rocinante after his passing, like he could pretend - at least for those few precious moments when he was dialing - that things were normal and the voice he loved would be on the other end of the line.

At least he knew where he stood. At least he knew, as much as he could, the extent of things with Kid. If he destroyed the snail, he’d know it would be permanently cutting off contact between them. But it was done in a fit of anger, so it wasn’t premeditated… it wasn’t like he necessarily _wanted_ to, necessarily. Law had hurt him and he lashed out. That didn’t mean he would refuse to speak with Law ever again, right?

Sitting on the edge of his bed, Law threaded his fingers together and rested his forehead against the backs of them, trying to just breathe. He was a fucking tactical genius and here he was, having a nervous breakdown because of a panicked reaction to a nightmare. It was stupid, he felt stupid, but what else did he have but old habits to fall back to?

It occurred to him he could call Killer; Penguin likely still had the other man’s number from when they’d planned their joint celebration, but that would definitely not go over well. The best thing he could do would be to just… show up. At least to the shore of the island Kid had claimed; probably wasn’t a good idea to ignore his request to call ahead before showing up at his compound and Law knew they had video transponder snails to monitor the shore. That was as close as he could come to calling at the moment. 

Of course, they’d been watching for it and almost every member of the crew saw the flash of Law’s Room as it spread from where he’d been keeping watch to his room. They had all also previously agreed that someone was going to have to ensure he was okay once he started moving again and of course, that duty had fallen to his First Mate. So it was with ginger footsteps and his hat bunched in his hands that Penguin began moving to Law’s room, knocking on the door with his heart in his throat. It made sense, Law had to be there, as Jean Bart had ascended the deck and verified the black-haired man couldn’t be seen on shore. 

Looking up at the knock, Law let his hands drop to his lap. He knew his crew was worried; he knew he’d been acting erratically. He knew he had basically gone mute, but it was only so he could try to process what he was feeling and compartmentalize it all back where it belonged. Now that they had made it back and he knew what he was going to do next, interaction wasn’t quite so impossible. “Come in.”

Words! Oh, but that was the most beautiful sound Penguin had heard all day. As eager as he was to obey, Penguin may have moved a little too quickly, as the resounding, “Shit!” that echoed through the room could be attributed to the fact he had slammed his toes into the bulwark frame as he tried to make his way into Law’s room and was currently nursing at least two, if not three, stubbed ones through his boot. 

For as much as Law felt like he’d morphed into an entirely different person in the past twenty-four hours, it was nice to see that nothing else had changed. Penguin was overeager as always to see him coming out of a slump. His crew acted like he’d found a treasure map whenever he started acting like himself again. Law could never figure out why; it wasn’t like he’d really earned their concern. When Penguin finally made it inside, Law was sitting up straight, smirking vaguely at what clumsiness he imagined led to Penguin’s outburst.

Straightening with a grimace, Penguin tried to arrange himself into some semblance of professionalism, though it didn’t really work. What he was successful at was cramming his hat back onto his head and giving Law a bright smile, his voice so cheery it hurt, “Captain! We’ve returned to Litchpond and have successfully docked. We are all eagerly awaiting your orders, please let us know what we can do to help!”

“My orders, huh?” there wasn’t anything that any of them could really do to help him; whatever he needed to fix with Kid needed to be done on his own. “What time is it? Has anyone slept?” come to think of it, from what he could remember of the blur of the previous day, everyone had looked a little haggard. Part of him thought they’d be happy to leave; they’d really only stayed at Litchpond for his own personal reasons. It hadn’t occurred to him to ask.

“Uh, yeah, of course Captain, we’re here and we’re ready! We’re the best crew the Polar Tang could ask for and we’re always gonna prove it!” the smile on his face was so forced and so wide it was giving Penguin a headache - it was either that, or the sound of his own voice choking out words so cheerful it sounded like a motivational sermon or something. No matter, as long as it kept Law talking and acting normal, he’d be happy.

“Oh, knock it off, it’s dark outside. You don’t need to pretend to be the sun,” he remembered food being offered to him, so Law could only assume that meant Clione had prepared meals for the crew. It was likely they’d at least eaten; he didn’t care for the idea that everyone had essentially been in stasis since this morning. They didn’t need to suffer just because he was, “I’m better now. Talk to me like a person, not a cornered animal. What time is it?”

Was that what he was doing? Shit… a nervous frown tugged on the corner of Penguin’s lips, battling for control against the freakish smile he’d been wearing, until the expression on his face couldn’t be described as anything but horrifying - or perhaps comical, if you were Law. He didn’t mean to treat Law like a cornered animal. Or rather, he did, but the goal was for Law not to realize it. But he was posed a question and it was one he could answer; maybe this was recoverable, “Oh, uh yeah, it’s around one in the morning.”

That wasn’t too bad. He and Kid had had conversations until three in the morning on more than one occasion, and Law knew he kept late nights. He needed to set this right, needed to see Kid again, to tell him the truth - though what truth he wasn’t sure, “Ok… good. You should find Ikkaku, go get some sleep. You look like hell.”

Penguin had been with Law long enough to tell when he was jittery and too amped up to sit still; this definitely qualified as one of those times. But whatever their beloved Captain might chose to do at one in the morning, Penguin was fairly certain he shouldn’t. Besides, he hadn’t eaten all day, “Thanks, Cap. No, we’re good. Not tired. Hungry though. You too probably, right? Let’s eat first.”

Though Penguin had lost his overly cheery tone, Law knew he was still trying to coax him into normalcy. His first instinct was to brush him off, but that no longer felt… right. He wasn’t a void anymore, there was something filling the space in his ribs and he didn’t have it in him to just cast aside the concern of one of his oldest friends. 

Friend… that was a taboo word, just as much as love was, but here he was. Back at Litchpond because he almost destroyed something he loved with his own hands. And just as he’d been careless with Kid, he knew he’d been careless with his crew, too. They were loyal to him and he took care of them in terms of their basic needs, but they were all so desperate for a deeper connection. As much as he wanted there to be something between himself and Kid should he survive Dressrosa… Law wanted the same with his crew. While he knew they’d wait for him however long he desired, he wanted to deserve it, “...Yeah, okay. Food’s good.” 

The smile that broke through Penguin’s tired, haggard face then was so entirely surprised it almost hurt, but the joy it in was palpable, “It - yeah, yeah, it is!” With a burst of newfound energy his second in command jumped forward, grabbing Law by the hand and pulling him forward before he even realized he initiated contact, he was so eager to get Law back in the company of others, “Let’s go!”

Law couldn’t even find it in himself to pull his hand away, his instinctual reaction softened by Penguin’s eagerness. He allowed himself to be led to the dining hall, surprised at how many of the rest of the crew were idly milling around the space as though they couldn’t eat or sleep unless Law had done the same, “...doesn’t anyone have a normal sleep schedule around here?”

“We keep yours,” Penguin managed to give a non-answer that still managed to make it completely clear that _no_ was the answer. But he was giddy now, sleep deprivation be damned, and he wanted to share the good news with the rest of their crew. It was quick work from there to announce their arrival, find Law a table smack in the middle of everything, and then surround him with his favorite dishes and his loving crew. 

Although Law knew that wasn’t true all the time - he’d come across sleeping crew members at odd hours of the night when he wasn’t able to find sleep himself - he was just as aware that they kept themselves up worrying when he had nightmares. Either way, Penguin had made his point and Law felt… guilty. Again. What the hell? 

As they sat down, it took very little time for the rest of the crew to gather around with an absurd amount of energy given the fact that they were running on little to no sleep and it was the middle of the night. Clione had fresh food brought out mere minutes after Law had entered and he realized then that he did have enough of an appetite to eat one of the fresh rice balls he was offered. The crew responded to his presence in a way that was nothing short of celebratory and yet again Law had to wonder what he’d done to gain their devotion to this degree.

The clamor in the room grew to almost deafening proportions, but it came with good hearts. Everyone wanted Law to know they were happy he was out and involved with them again, even if none of them would say those actual words. It was enough that he was here and eating and talking and, eventually, even smiling and laughing with them. He was okay again, at least more than before. That was all they ever wanted; for their stoic, dark, depressed, angry captain to be happy. 

He hadn’t meant for it to happen; Law hadn’t even realized he was tired. One second he was talking about something mundane with Uni and the next he was blinking awake bleary-eyed, hours later with a good half of the crew passed out on the tables or floor around him. Law jolted at the realization but he didn’t have it in him to wake any of his sleeping crew. Instead, he stood and carefully held the blanket that’d been tossed over him around his shoulders, wandering above deck to where Jean Bart was fishing in the early morning sunlight. “...Jean Bart. What time is it?”

The large man stretched his neck out above his shoulders, tilting it from side to side as he tried to determine how far along the hour likely was before responding, “Around three quarter past seven, captain.” He was heartened to see Law up, about, in the sunlight, and asking questions. It felt like they could all breathe a little better, for sure. 

Gently depositing the blanket on top of Bepo’s stomach as he slept, Law leaned against the railing where Jean Bart was sitting. “...can I ask you a favor?” Knowing the answer already, Law nodded in the direction of the island Kid had claimed for his crew, “Get me close enough to the island that my Room can stretch to the shore. I’ll call you when I need you to come back.”

Though they’d all been almost one hundred percent certain that something to do with Kid lay at the source of Law’s foul mood, it was nice to get confirmation. Not that he’d share it with the others - this was something the captain had entrusted him to do, not to talk about. Nodding slowly, Jean Bart pressed himself upward to full height and slowly started to head for the small boat they kept safely lashed on deck, “Yeah.”

One of the reasons he liked Jean Bart so much was because the older man wasn’t a gossip and he didn’t try to convince Law that something was unsafe. He simply gave his assistance when he was needed and was patient and reliable. He’d never regretted unshackling Jean Bart and was grateful he’d agreed to join the crew. Once they were settled on the rarely-used skiff, Law could feel the tension rising with each moment. “...Thank you.”

If the tension was rising, it wasn’t on Jean Bart’s part. He was content to do as he was asked and serve the man who had granted him freedom, when he’d been somewhat resigned to the fact that his future would have consisted of acting as some downtrodden mule for an uppity, punchable Celestial Dragon to ride around. He wanted the same for Law that the rest of the crew did - his happiness. If it took an early morning boat ride to Kid Pirate Island to help secure that, he was going to do it without comment. Though he would, of course, refrain from ignoring his captain, “You don’t have to thank me.”

“Not just for the ride...” Law felt himself finding his voice, the words soft at first and slowly building until he sounded more like himself, “You’re one of the few who doesn’t try to hold me back from something like this. Penguin would be losing his mind right now if he knew where I was going. But you don’t… try to make judgments for me.” Feeling a bit like a foolish kid, Law let himself smile ruefully, “Guess you must know what it’s like, though. Having been a captain yourself.”

That got a rueful, knowing chuckle from Jean Bart as he nodded along to Law’s last statement. “Your business is your business,” if Law was going to be talkative, he certainly wasn’t going to discourage it by failing to engage, “it’s not my job to tell you what’s right for you.” He knew - and he knew Law knew - that Penguin meant well, but meaning well can still sometimes come across as obnoxious or judgmental. 

Nodding in appreciation, Law curled his fingers over the wooden edge of the bench he was perched on and tilted his head back to stare up at the sky. His back was sore from all the slouching around he’d done the day before and falling asleep at the table hadn’t helped. It’d take awhile to untangle all the knots he’d tied his body into. 

The rest of the way across the channel passed in comfortable silence, Law watching the clouds pass by as he tried not to think of all the ways this meeting could be catastrophic. Jean Bart’s size and strength meant that the trip was not as long as it would have been otherwise and almost before Law had collected himself completely, the shore was in range. With a sigh, he allowed the edges of his Room to extend outward until it encompassed the very edge of the sand. Law caught Jean Bart’s gaze and smiled humorlessly. “Don’t be surprised if I’m gone most of the day… then again, don’t be surprised if you have to turn around as soon as you get back.” 

Nodding in understanding, Jean Bart’s parting words were quiet, but sincere, “Good luck, Captain.” He didn’t need to know details to know that whatever Law was hoping for, that was a proper farewell. He waited until he could see that Law safely on shore before he spun their little skiff around and started heading back the way they’d come, watching his captain recede in the distance until he was nothing more than a black blur, then gone. 

As the blue light faded around him, the distant echo of a stone dropping into the skiff in Law’s place sounded over the open water. Suddenly, Law found himself standing alone on the stretch of beach he’d first come to after his initial success battling the Calico Pirates. Unarmed, he felt almost naked but it was meant to be a sign of his peaceful intent. 

Doing everything he could to respect the boundaries Kid had set, he kept his back turned on the forest so there was no mistake that he hadn’t come to snoop before he sat in the sand, waiting for one of the surveillance transponder snails to pick up his image and alert the other crew to his presence.

Kid’s crew was a lot of things, but lazy was not one of them. Law had already been sighted when the skiff was still approaching and the one on guard duty - Grudge, this morning - had immediately gotten suspicious. The captain had been weird the day before and they all knew that it was after his visit with Dr. Chop Shop. Unwilling to take his eyes of Law’s form for even a moment, Grudge hissed out a name between clenched teeth until he got Hex’s attention, “‘Ey. I don’t care that yer eatin’. Go get the Captain.”

Tossing a quarter of a sausage link in the air and catching it in his mouth, Hex raised an eyebrow as he studied Grudge, “Y’wanna explain what for? I’m not gonna go wake him up without a good reason.” He grinned then, crossing his arms behind his head casually, “Besides, you didn’t say please.”

“M’not gonna say please, y’twatwaffle,” while Grudge was normally among the most mild mannered of Kid’s crew, he had his moments. On top of everything else, the way Law just settled in on the shoreline like he had some kind of purpose set him on edge; he didn’t feel like playing games, “Go now.”

“Hah! Twatwaffle. You’ve been spending too much time with Jinx,” Hex laughed around a mouthful of eggs as he continued on. “The fuck you want me to tell him, huh? ‘Grudge is feelin’ a bit spooked, boss, maybe you should spoon him a little ‘til he feels better’?” Snickering, Hex wiped the back of his hand across his mouth, clearly amused with his own joke.

Still refusing to look away from his monitor for even a second, Grudge’s aggressive middle finger salute got his point across well enough anyway. But he didn’t have time for this, so he responded as eloquently as he felt like managing at the time, “Go tell him the fucking Pyscho Surgeon is sitting on our fucking doorstep and twiddling his thumbs like he’s waitin’ for somethin’, how ‘bout that?”

“That’s what’s got your panties all in a twist? Surgeon of Death’s probably here for a booty call. You missed their little romance the past, I dunno, six months? Jeez,” Hex complained, pushing himself to his feet. “I’ll go get the captain only because he’s probably all giddy for his boyfriend’s attention,” he strolled lazily out of the monitoring room and through the winding cavern until he reached the mess hall. Seeing his captain wasn’t present, he continued on to his bedroom. 

All the usual suspects were present; Yara and Killer were curled up on either side of Kid’s sprawling form and Hex - for all of his asshole tendencies - was careful not to wake anyone he hadn’t come to speak with. “Cap,” he whispered, nudging the redhead’s arm, “y’got a visitor.”

Kid wasn’t easy to rouse when he wasn’t on guard and so it took more than just a nudge or two to get him fully awake and aware. But finally - with an deep grunt and almost aggressively wide yawn - Grudge managed to bring Kid back to consciousness, though his captain didn’t look particularly pleased about it, rubbing the back of one hand across his eyes as he managed to find words, “What’d’y’want?”

“Kinda surprised you’re not already up. Dr. Chop Shop’s waiting for you on shore,” While Hex was the least serious of the crew, he wasn’t unaware that the situation was unusual. He just didn’t see a need for panic. As far as he knew, Trafalgar and their crew were friendly with each other. So what if the two captains had some personal shit? It wasn’t like the other man was armed and on their doorstep. 

It was too early for this shit and Kid’s reaction proved it. Lurching upright, he inadvertently managed to disturb both his bedmates as he blinked furiously to brush the sleep from his eyes, pawing at his face with both hands for a moment as though it would somehow make his head clearer. He’d heard Hex, there was no need to ask him to repeat himself, but that didn’t stop his confusion from rearing loud in his head, “What? No. Fuck off.”

“Whatever y’say, boss. Should I tell him it’s not a good time?” Hex lowered his voice further as Yara grunted and curled into a tighter ball, her head tucked under the corner of the pillow. He hoped the low tone wouldn’t wake her but there wasn’t anything he could do about the fact that Killer’s one visible eye was watching him, hawk-like. So much for subtlety. 

“Wha- No,” way too fucking early for this. Careful of his sister, Kid pushed himself upright and did his best to maneuver around Killer, stumbling to his feet and reaching for his coat as the chill of the cavern air licked his skin. He needed to see this for himself because it didn’t make sense. Shrugging into his clothes, Kid vaguely considered shoving his feet into boots before he realized he didn’t care that much; he wasn’t going anywhere. “I’ll see the monitors…” it was a statement grumbled to himself more than anything, but it got the point across.

“Kid,” Killer’s voice was low and dangerous. He was rising slowly, careful not to jostle Yara much more than she already had been, “stay. I’ll deal with him. He’s done enough, I’d say.” There was tension threading through his shoulders and into the bare muscles of his chest; Killer was clearly ready to follow through on his threat.

 

Protective friends. Always a blessing, sometimes a burden, and this was one of those times. Turning around, Kid made eye contact with Killer for a long moment, making sure he had the other man’s attention before speaking, “My shit. I deal with it.” At the very least, he needed to wake up a little more and figure out what he was actually thinking before he let Killer do anything. 

Looking back and forth between his captain and first mate, Hex hummed softly as he turned to lead Kid back to the surveillance room. “I guess this isn’t a happy surprise after all, huh?” he mused as they power walked through the halls, the shorter man having to take twice as many steps to keep up with his captain’s long stride. 

Kid’s derisive snort was enough of a response to give Hex the appropriate picture. He was purposeful as he walked through the caverns, a look on his face that bade anyone smart avoid getting in his way. When he entered the surveillance room and found himself in the company of a disgruntled looking Grudge, he felt validated by the show of feelings similar to his own and his tone made it clear he wasn’t in the mood for idle chat, “Tell me.”

Upon seeing his captain, Grudge let out the breath he’d been holding and slid out of the way, gesturing to the monitor, “He’s just sitting there, captain. Lookin’ out at the water. Hasn’t moved an inch, either. Seemed off t’me.” Apparently, something _was_ up between the two captains. Grudge glanced sidelong at Hex somewhat smugly; at least of the two of them, he’d had the right response.

The look Hex gave in return was a curled upper lip and a jerk of his chin that silently managed to get the concept of “suck it” across nonetheless. But their pantomime was lost on Kid, the redhead intensely focused on the screens in front of him. _What in seven hells was Law - no, Trafalgar - doing here?_

The other two men shifted awkwardly in the silence that followed while their captain studied the screen. Trafalgar hadn’t moved an inch, staring resolutely out at the sea, knees tucked up and his arms curled around them. It was unnerving, “Uh… captain? Is there somethin’ you’d like us to do?”

The question seemed to settle something inside him, though it wasn’t the roiling coil of confusion, anger, and - most frustratingly of all - sick hope in him that tied his stomach into knots. No. Trafalgar didn’t just get to show up and expect Kid to jump to his every beck and call. Turning his back on the monitors resolutely, Kid only left the two standing there with one simple, perhaps confusing, order, “Tell me when he leaves.”

Blinking in confusion, Grudge and Hex glanced at each other briefly before they nodded, Grudge hastily moving to take his place in front of the monitor once more, “Sure thing, Captain. ...should someone go make him leave?”

Kid’s response to that was as cold as he could make it, “No. Let him get the picture on his own.” That decided, Kid forced his feet to move back in the direction of his bedchamber; Killer would be so damn proud, wouldn’t he? Kid tried to ignore the nagging voice at the back of his head that kept trying to ask how he’d feel if Law actually left without seeing him. 

Law couldn’t say for sure what he expected. At the very least, an angry Killer to come and try to shoo him away. Best case scenario was that Kid came and forgave him since he’d returned so quickly, but he calculated the chances of that at about three percent. He didn’t expect total silence. It made him wonder if he’d been the foolish one and got in deeper than Kid had - unlikely, but then again Law hadn’t let himself get close to anyone in a long time. He wasn’t a very good judge of things like this.

The sun beat down on him as he continued sitting in the sand and Law came to regret wearing his usual hoodie to go sit on the beach in broad daylight as the sun rose higher in the sky. There wasn’t much to be done, though; it probably wouldn’t give the right impression if he started undressing and the whole point was to try to be respectful. He hadn’t looked over his shoulder once, either. Even though it drove him crazy. Even though he couldn’t forget the sound of Doflamingo’s laughter, words ringing in his ears, _’It’s just you and me, Law.’_

Kid had been certain - or at least, told himself he was certain - that he could out-wait Law. Nobody who cut and ran as easy as that asshole did the day before would actually hang around long enough to make it mean something. But then morning faded into high noon, then a balmy summer day, and by the time it was four Kid couldn’t stand it anymore. Grudge still hadn’t reported that Law had left, which meant he hadn’t - Grudge was supremely reliable. 

He’d spent the day trying to distract himself with Killer and Yara, jumpy every time someone approached him from behind on the worry that it was Grudge with the good (bad?) news. He’d spent so much of today feeling like he had the wind knocked out of him that when afternoon came and went and started to settle into evening, he just couldn’t anymore. As he rose from his spot at the table - he, Killer, and Yara had been playing cards with Bolt and Wrench - he did his best to excuse himself in a way that Killer wouldn’t find suspicious, “Gotta take a leak.” 

Slipping out of the cave, Kid tucked his hands in his pockets and started to wend his way toward shore, hoping that he could put enough distance between himself and his second to stop the blonde from interrupting until he and Law got whatever this was sorted out.

The sand around Law told the story of how his day went. There were hills and valleys from where his arms and legs had been stretched out at various points throughout the day. He’d dozed off a few times only to be awoken by a particularly loud wave. Each time he snapped awake, Law had to remind himself that Kid was still alive. He had a chance to mend this. He wasn’t Cora-san, lifeless and beyond saving.

There were a few times Law was certain he heard movement behind him. He still refused to look over his shoulder though and it turned out to be some forest dwelling animal or a bird darting from limb to limb on the trees lining the edge of the beach. With each hour that passed Law became more and more listless; so this was what it felt like to kill something he loved with his own hands. And it was only Doflamingo’s shadow that had anything to do with it at all. The man would laugh himself into his grave if he ever found out.

For all that he wanted - needed - to know why Law was here, Kid wasn’t dumb enough to act like things were fine. So as he approached the beachhead and saw the familiar, obviously out of place glare of bright yellow that signified Law’s presence, he activated his power and called the metal orbs from his pocket to float around his left hand in a lazy, erratic pattern. 

He did his best to pretend the action wasn’t also his attempt at ignoring the way his heart thudded in his chest. Stepping out onto the beach Kid was guarded, keeping his distance as he finally broke Law’s day of self-imposed silence, “... What do you want?”

Law thought he was hallucinating at first, half delirious from his lack of proper sleep piled on top of heat exhaustion. But his brain caught up to his ears eventually; he heard the shifting sand, footsteps, Kid’s voice too far away to be his mind playing tricks on him. Looking over his shoulder and up at the redhead he felt a foolish amount of relief. Kid was hostile, clearly, but he hadn’t sent Killer to chase him off or ignored him indefinitely. He was here. 

The standard stoic mask Law wore as his neutral expression split and for perhaps the first time Kid got a glimpse of raw emotion on his face; guilt, shame, hope. He tried to speak, but a hoarse whisper was all his dry throat would allow and he had to swallow heavily before he could try again. He felt like a fish, “...I tried to call.”

Kid tried to hold on to his inner Killer, to the voice of reason his second, his brother always was. The voice that told him not to care about the look on Law’s - Trafalgar’s, fuck - face, or to ignore that sharp stab of worry that shot through his gut at how hoarse Law sounded. It should have been easier than it was. But at least for now, he managed to keep his voice somewhat unwelcoming, “Snail’s dead.”

Nodding slowly, Law found himself struggling for words. All this time sitting on the beach in silence and he hadn’t even tried to prepared what to say, “...I figured.” His eyes were drawn to the movement of metal around Kid’s hand and a feeble thread of habit bubbled up as he gestured to them, “Those make for a friendly greeting.”

In response, Kid simply flicked his hand toward the ground as though he was trying to shake water from it. The metal bits in question responded with alacrity, slamming into the ground so hard they dug a pockmark into the sand and sent tiny particles flying everywhere before ricocheting back up to their previous position around his hand, “Still think that?”

For the first time in a long time, Law did something he promised he never would - he flinched. It wasn’t out of fear or because he was startled, but because he had built up a hope so fragile it was slipping through his fingers. But it was Kid’s action, small but clear, that tore holes right through it. 

He hated to appear weak, but that was how he felt. Years of habit and an unhealthy mental state had brought him here and Law was at an absolute loss for how to react to things without falling back into it. Breaking eye contact with Kid, he stared down at the pitted marks in the sand and swallowed again, trying to release the breath stuck in his throat.

What threw Kid, what made this whole thing even more confusing and left him scrabbling for ground himself, was that this man before him seemed so entirely unlike the pirate captain he’d known. Law was acting so cowed, so quiet, so… scared? Why? Fuck it all, but why!? All Kid wanted was an answer to that question, “Answer me! What do you want?!”

Over the past few months, at least, up until now, Law had been truly happy. And as scared and guilty as it made him feel, he wanted to get to keep feeling that way. When he made eye contact with Kid again, his expression was more resolute and if his voice was flat when he spoke it still wasn’t his usual deadpan, “...I wanted to tell you the truth.”

“The truth?” Kid was so surprised by Law’s words that he parroted them back without truly realizing it, staring at the other man like he was a bit crazy. The truth about what? What did that even mean? Frustrated and confused, Kid ran his free hand through his hair and pulled on the strands for a second before he voiced that aloud to Law, “What the hell does that mean?”

Raising an eyebrow a little, Law shifted so he was facing Kid, though he remained seated in the sand. “I’m pretty sure I don’t need to define truth for you,” it was easier to keep going when he relied a little on their usual banter. Law didn’t expect Kid to participate, but he didn’t need him to, “Will you… listen…?” 

Would he? That was the question, wasn’t it? Because his inner Killer - and, honestly, probably the Killer that was barreling through the forest after him right now - was screaming at him not to. Don’t listen to a single thing he has to say. He’s jerked you around enough. He wants something from you, that’s the only reason he came back. Don’t do it, don’t do it, don’t do it. The voice in his head was cacophonous, drowning out almost everything around it. It was so loud, Kid almost missed the word coming from his own mouth, “... Fine.”

“Okay…” Law breathed out and scrubbed his hands through his hair, trying to physically ground himself. Even before Flevance burned, he had not been particularly good at sharing his feelings or talking about things that made him uncomfortable. But he had to do that now, wanted to so Kid could understand, yet the concept was so foreign he didn’t even know where to start. The other man looming over him was distracting, though, and he gestured at the sand across from him, “Sit down, would you? I can’t think with you being all imposing like that.”

Kid wasn’t sure he wanted to do that. Kid wasn’t sure he should even be here, but here he was. That didn’t mean he was all sunshine, roses, and obedience though, “Fine where I’m at.” If he felt like Law deserved to have a conversation with him, then he’d sit. Right now this wasn’t a conversation, it was still him feeling things out, trying to determine what Law’s angle was, why he came back. It was a confession, if anything, and he was trying to hold on to that to keep some distance between them. 

Instead of prodding until he got his way or teasing like he might have any other time, Law didn’t comment on Kid’s lack of cooperation. Instead he stared down at the sand intently as though trying to find the words to say in the millions of particles spread around him, “...That nightmare I had. It was about the one hundred hearts I gathered to become a Warlord. I was blind for most of it, but at the end I could see and I realized that the hearts came from people I knew. My hometown, my family, my crew… you.” 

Try as he may, Law couldn’t keep himself disconnected from the echo of the horror he’d felt upon realizing what was happening as he dreamed, “I looked down and I was elbow deep in your chest and my hands were around your heart. I know what beating hearts feel like. It felt, in the dream, exactly like it does in reality. … I felt it stop in my hands.”

Listening to Law’s story, Kid tried to find the lie. Tried, and failed, though he also couldn’t figure out how that connected to Law’s behavior. If it really bothered him that much, the idea of feeling Kid die, then why the fuck would he run off immediately afterwards? It didn’t make sense and he told Law as much, “... So you fucking bolted? Sure.” But even as he tried to keep up his facade, Kid could feel his own heart beating, the sound of it suddenly rushing loud in his ears. It made him dizzy.

Looking up at him now, Law no longer looked cowed and uncertain; there was still an edge of fragility in his eyes but he was determined. Now that he’d started, the words were coming with relative ease; it spoke to the level of connection between them that even now, even when Kid was still expressing hostility and anger, it wasn’t as impossible as it was with everyone else, “Adrenaline. You know the feeling; something threatens you, makes your heart race and you have that instinct to fight or run. Well, you can’t exactly fight a dream, can you?”

Yeah, yeah… Kid knew that feeling like the back of his hand. His almost always resulted in fight at this point, but nothing would ever match the sheer terror he felt running from his hometown. Killing his parents had, somehow, been the easy part. Sneaking out of Centaurea with a fussy, hungry two year old, his own mishmash of messy hair and blood splattered body, and Killer’s scarred face had been, and still to this day was, the most awful moment of his life, when he was certain every sound was someone coming after him to take his sister away and throw him to the wolves. 

But what was important about that day was that he hadn’t run away from the people he loved; he’d run with them. That was important. “If it,” he’d thought about saying _If I_ but that felt far too personal, “mattered that much, why the hell would you run away? Shit’s like that when you go to your people, not ditch them.”

Everything felt itchy and uncomfortable the more he spoke; logically it was because he’d been covered in sand and baked in the sun for hours, but Law knew it was because the conversation itself was so awkward for him, “...There’s a reason I don’t let people get close to me. Everyone I’ve ever cared about is dead.” 

Law did not consider himself a person who believed in anything but science, but there were some superstitions he couldn’t shake. He was embarrassed to admit it, but vulnerability was something he owed to Kid after everything the redhead had shared. And after what he’d just done, “...Sometimes, I… feel like a curse, I guess.” 

The sharp bark of laughter that got from Kid seemed out of place, though almost without thought the speed and fervent erratic movement of the ball-bearing weapon spinning around his hand started to calm. “Y’think knowin’ you is gonna kill me?” the question came out as a disbelieving scoff, but there was some truth to the inquiry. Did Kid actually matter that much to Law? Because Law hadn’t done much to show it, if that were true. 

Kid’s laughter resonated with Law and he scowled briefly up at the redhead before staring back down at the sand. He already felt foolish for expressing that, “After having a dream like that, in the moment it was hard not to. That whole adrenaline thing, remember?” Well, that wasn’t entirely true; it was also the fact that if something went wrong and Doflamingo knew about Kid, the older man would absolutely use him as leverage. As a weakness.

Idiot… “Knowin’ me is likely gonna kill somebody on the Black Rose. They all know that and they always get back on board anyway, that’s the fuckin’ life we live.” While Kid wasn’t saying he couldn’t understand the sentiment - because he could, he absolutely did - the point he was trying to get across was that of course they were in danger, they were damned pirates, “I’m not a princess, don’t need protecting.” 

“That’s not the point,” Law muttered. God, he felt humiliated. It wasn’t about protecting Kid in the way he thought. It was about protecting himself, but he couldn’t really express that without explaining further. Without listing his losses and why he couldn’t stand to lose anyone else. It was selfish, but it also spoke to the depth of his feeling. It was admitting that losing Kid would crush him, just as losing Cora-san had.

One by one, the metal pellets revolving around Kid’s hand started to slip back into his pocket until there was only one left, rotating lazily around the widest part of his palm. It happened without thought and without rational meaning behind it, Kid focused so intently on Law that everything else had faded to background noise. There was a buzz starting under his skin that told him he needed to understand, needed Law to make sense, needed… more, “Then what is, Law?” This was, perhaps, the last chance Kid had in him to give. 

“The point is, I wasn’t running from _you,_ ” Law insisted. It felt like he was standing on the edge of a cliff and the only thing keeping him from falling was a single thread, one that he was about to take a knife to. His crew mattered to him, but they were different, they were necessarily to operate the ship and succeed as a pirate and while he valued them for more than just their usefulness, Law could also pretend that it somehow exempted them from his bad luck. This, with Kid, was just for him. It was dangerous, “I was running from the…” 

Frowning, he paused; God, why was finding the right words so damn hard? So damn painful… “If you died, it would hurt me.”

Kid looked so utterly perplexed at that, though it wasn’t because he was surprised to hear it. He would have been pretty fucked up if Law had died, too - at least, before the other man had kicked him out of his bed and abandoned him twice after they’d been physically intimate. Blinking a couple times as though it would make things make sense, his tone in response was as obvious as the words, “Well… yeah.”

“So that’s… what I was running from. I guess,” he sounded like a damn idiot and he knew it. Law couldn’t tell if his words were having any effect at all. Chancing a glance back up at the redhead, Law could see that there were fewer metal bits being ominously flung through the air. That, at least, felt like a good sign. 

There was still hesitance in the way Kid was holding himself, though, and for all that he felt like he didn’t know who he was right now, Law was grateful he still knew how to read people, at least, “I came back because you deserved to know. You made me happy, when I haven’t been in… a long time.”

There was a moment of hesitation, a second where everything seemed to hover and hold still, like the heat haze from a hot summer day. An instant, one final instant, of indecision and uncertainty as Kid processed that information and tried to decide what to do with it. Does he accept it, forgive, and move on or does he walk away? Which one, which one, which one…

And then that instant was broken, pushed from the air surrounding them as Kid bent at the knees and sank down into the sand at his feet, arranging his legs so they crossed underneath him. Whether he’d truly meant it to or not, his body spoke for him as it settled into the earth. Just as Law had asked a few tense, fraught minutes earlier. 

That action felt a little like forgiveness and Law could see that all the vulnerability, all the uncertainty had been worth it. He never wanted to be one of those love struck fools who would compromise themselves for the sake of another person, but here he was. And he couldn’t find it in himself to regret it.

Taking a deep breath, Kid parsed his way through all the thoughts jumbled around in his head, trying to find the one that seemed most important to verbalize. He’d decided months ago that what he felt for Law was complex and growing stronger and he’d been fine to just acknowledge it to himself and ride it out, see where things went. But things hadn’t gone exactly great, had they? Kid figured this was the point where things had to be said, “... Look. I’ve been, had…” 

Ugh. With a groan, Kid tilted his head back to stare at the sky for a minute and scold himself for stammering like an idiot. He needed to get his shit together, say what he meant, and leave it all at Law’s feet. That’s what he was going to do. Kid had never been a man afraid of his own emotions. As he brought his gaze back down to level with Law’s, his voice was even and strong, “Something’s been growin’ in me for a long time, about you. Something I wanted t’always have. And if you’re headed that way too, great. If you’re not, fine, y’don’t have to. If this was just somethin’ fun for you, we never said it was anythin’ else. But it is, t’me. Now. And if you’re not going that way too, then I’m done. This is it. I’m not screwing around any more.”

Now it was Law’s turn to laugh and the sound surprised even him. He’d had the same thought earlier, after all; that he was in deeper than Kid and he’d been misreading the signs. In his mind the things he’d just shared had been clear enough in what he thought of their relationship, but Law could see now that they were both in need of some unequivocal clarity, “I’m in love with you, idiot. Haven’t you been paying attention?” This time, he was finally able to be plain, “Why else would I be so afraid of you dying?”

If anything was going to startle Kid that was it, and it was evident in the way his eyes widened before a shocked laugh escaped him. But that moment passed and, for some reason, a wash of certainty swelled over him so clearly that there wasn’t even a single thread of doubt in his mind that Law was telling the truth. That made it so much easier to respond, the redhead breaking into a true smile for the first time that day, “Fucking batshit way of showing it, y’asshole.”

Law shrugged a little and though he was still a little on edge from the nature of their conversation, he could feel most of the tension leave him as it became more and more apparent that things between them would mend, “I’m not like you. I can’t just… express things like it’s easy. I never have.”

“Doesn’t mean y’up and run when yer scared,” Kid was relieved, happy, and somehow exhausted all at once, but that didn’t mean there weren’t a few more points that he needed to make. Finally, the last little bearing found its way back into his pocket, his power fading completely as he spoke again, “That’s when y’lean into your people.” He hated to turn serious again, even for a moment, but he knew this last thing had to be said, “... Y’run again, Law, and nothin’ else matters. I’m done. I won’t put up with anythin’ like this again.”

Law nodded, words stuck in his throat again. He knew he’d been unfair, even though he wanted to argue it was a panic response and not a decision made with higher brain function. That sounded hollow; Kid was worth putting effort into. Law had been changing, had been growing, he could see that now. It was why he felt like a stranger in his own skin. “I’m… sorry,” he’d never apologized for anything because he’d never had to. He never cared to. Until now. 

After a moment spent searching Law’s eyes, Kid nodded. He could see that Law meant it, that he was perhaps being more honest now than he’d ever been before. At least, about the things that mattered, the things that were hard. He respected and appreciated that. Feeling like he’d just run a marathon, Kid flopped onto his back in the sand, squinting against the late afternoon sun, “... impressive y’actually stayed all day. Fuckin’ hot one.”

Snorting, Law plucked at his hoodie, which was sticking to his skin uncomfortably. “Yeah, you probably could have found me by smell alone,” he commented, though now that noon had come and gone the heat wasn’t as oppressive. “I considered cooling off in the water but that seemed a little dangerous considering I wasn’t sure when Killer was going to come rampaging out of the woods.”

Ah, yes. Killer. “Shit, yeah…” scrubbing at the back of his head and grimacing, the full reality of having to explain all this to Killer and get him to understand began to sink in, “he’s gonna be fucking livid. He wants’t kill you.” But even still, Kid couldn’t be mad at him. Everything Killer did was borne from love, from the connection they’d shared since childhood. Nobody in this world would defend and protect him the way his sworn brother would. 

“Yeah, I bet. I’m kind of surprised my crew hasn’t come for me. I only told Jean Bart where I was going,” That didn’t exactly seem fair, now that he thought about it. They’d all been so worried and now they would wake up to him gone. At least one of them knew where he was. Jean Bart would be able to tell the others, though. 

For one reason or another, that didn’t surprise Kid at all; Law was freakishly secretive in the best of times. But he could sort through that later; right now, it just felt good to breathe normally again. “... Yer gonna have’t make up with him, I mean it,” it wasn’t meant to come across as a scolding, but rather just a matter of fact. Law needed to repair things with Killer if they were truly going to be together and at ease.

Scoffing, Law shifted until he was sitting next to Kid rather than across from him, feeling better with the closeness. “Yeah, don’t worry. I’ll make up with mother-in-law eventually,” though he was joking, there was a thread of sincerity in his words as well. He knew there would have to be some sense of peace between them for Kid to be truly comfortable.

As Law finally came within reach, Kid moved on instinct, his hand reaching out to wrap around slim hips and pull the other man down into the sand with him. This felt so good, so normal to be pressed together again with Law’s head pillowed on his shoulder. Like things used to be. Like they should be, “Good. He likes noodles. Y’could start there.”

“Does he? I’m not much of a cook. I doubt he’d think much of any noodles I’d give him,” It was an entertaining thought, though; offer a plate of noodles with no explanation and then act like they were best friends. Maybe he would. Perhaps the crazy helmeted man did know how to laugh?

“Y’have a cook,” Kid countered. Foolish Law, focused on the problem instead of the solution. But with that being said, Kid let his eyes drift closed as the cool wash of sea breeze swept across the beach, caressing them both as it passed by. If they just laid here for a little while, in quiet companionship, let the nearness and the rest help finish stitching up the wounds Law had created… that would be fine by him. 

“Doesn’t seem the same if it’s not from me,” while it would have been easy to just sink into silence, things still felt a little unbalanced. Law had been honest about his feelings, about the nightmare, but he knew that it was impossible for Kid to really understand the depth behind why he had reacted the way he did. And though Law meant to never let it happen again, he anticipated more nightmares in the future, more of his infamous shut downs, and if Kid understood more about him maybe they could avoid misunderstandings in the future, “...I have more I want to tell you.” 

Although the afternoon sun had started to make him drowsy, that little admission caught his attention in a heartbeat. Law willingly wanted to tell him more, was offering it up himself? That was… something, wasn’t it? Kid had briefly considered asking where the other man was from, but considering what had just gone on between them it seemed brutish, even for him. Tilting his head to the side a little he pulled Law in tighter, squeezing around his shoulders as he brushed soft, crimson painted lips across Law’s forehead, “Okay.”

Kid had gone from openly hostile to gentle in such a short time Law’s head was spinning. At least he had comfort for this part; this, he knew, would be even harder than what he’d already shared. “...The last person to tell me he loved me was Cora-san...” that felt like the safest place to start, was easy enough to say even though the way the older man had smiled and so earnestly insisted that he wanted Law to remember exactly that still made his stomach clench. 

It would be easier to explain if he could at least remember what Kid already knew. “...What do you know about me already?” It was an echo of the question the redhead had asked him not too long ago, when he’d learned the full extent of Kid’s abuse at the hands of his parents. Apparently Law was the one feeling a bit masochistic this time.

Kid's face twisted a little when he thought through his potential answer to that question. It forced him to recognize that really, the answer was very little. “... Uh, actually... not that much,” biting thoughtfully at his lower lip, Kid studied the top of Law’s head as he tried to parse what little he knew into sensible words, “That you’re fucked up. That you had a kid sister, too. That you let people cut your fingers off for money. … Figure your parents are dead. That your fruit saved your life, but dunno from what. That you’ve got a massive grudge match against DonQuixote coming up.”

That all pretty much hit the nail on the head. It was too much to talk about his parents and what happened to them right now, but that also helped give him an idea of what to avoid saying that might bring up questions he wasn’t ready to answer. “Right. So. I guess I’ll start from the beginning, how I met Cora-san,” to Law, it was kind of a funny story. He remembered with crystal clarity what it felt like getting chucked out the window and landing in a garbage heap; he wondered how someone with as gentle a heart as Cora-san had managed to act so convincingly cruel.

“After my family died, I… ran. I stowed away until we reached a place called Spider Miles. I was, well... Deranged, I guess, especially for a ten year old.” It was strange, talking about himself like this, so he spoke in fits and starts while he tried to get his bearings. Law had only ever told his crew about his past in response to specific questions. He’d never freely told it as a linear story, “I heard of a pirate crew there, they were apparently recruiting.” Looking up at Kid, Law studied his face, “Pop quiz; which infamous pirate crew got their start on Spider Miles in the North Blue?”

The scowl that greeted Law’s upturned face was pointed, almost as though Kid was offended. Not that he really had any right to be, as it was Killer who’d done all the research and updated him on things throughout their journey through the Grand Line, “The DonQuixote Pirates.” Was Law straight up telling him he got his start with the Doflamingo DonQuixote and that was why he had a vendetta against the man? Shit; if so, that was kinda juicy.

“Well done. You get a prize,” Law felt himself smile sardonically and leaned up to kiss Kid briefly. “Cora-san is a… weird nickname. He was an officer in the Family and his actual title was Corazon. The kids in the family called him Cora-san for short. He was the right hand of the captain himself and when I first met him I was told he hated children. Right before he flung me out a window. So, being the deranged kid I was, I figured he would keep me from joining the crew and wreaking havoc on the world like I wanted to. So I tried to stab him in response.” 

For some godforsaken reason, Law felt fondness at the memory; not for the act itself, but for the conversation Cora-san had with him later, when he’d explained that although Law had stabbed him, he knew that Law was the one in pain. It was fucking sappy, but his words made him feel… seen. Cared about. Loved.

Kid accepted the kiss willingly, but he didn’t really focus on it. He was intent on Law’s words, on drinking in the story, on not missing a single detail. He wanted to know all of this, all of Law, he wanted to know Law like he’d allowed Law to know him. Yes, there was one important detail he hadn’t revealed yet, but he still didn’t know where Law was from, so that felt even. This time, it was he who smiled in response, “Yeah, that sounds like you. But the story musta changed somewhere.”

“Yeah. I knew something was up because he never told Doffy it was me, he just said it was some rando and that was it. Didn’t really fit the image of a guy who hated kids,” The longer he talked, the more Law realized that it was nice to share things about Cora-san. He deserved to be remembered by more than two people; he knew that if anyone in the family except Doffy himself thought about him at all, it wasn’t kindly. 

“Anyway. I had a pretty rare illness when I was younger. Incurable and fatal, as far as I knew,” the way his voice caught in his throat made it clear he was delving into more difficult territory. “I was with the DonQuixote Pirates for about three years and in the last year my health took a turn. Doffy was actually looking for a fruit that would cure me, but for some reason that wasn’t good enough for Cora-san. He and I went out on our own and he took me to every hospital he could find to see if anyone could help me,” Law felt his lips turn up into a sneer, words weighed down in bitterness, “but no one even tried.”

“Fucking assholes,” Kid kept his commentary short and to the point - enough to let Law know he was paying attention, but not so much that it derailed Law’s train of thought. He wanted to remain as encouraging and safe as possible; he knew long before the waver in Law’s voice that whatever it was he wanted to share, it wasn’t going to be easy.

Law nodded vaguely, remembering Cora-san’s voice as he cursed each doctor at every hospital they left. He was a kind man with a barbed tongue that Law found entertaining after the fact, “We were gone for about six months when Cora-san heard from Doffy. They found out the Ope-Ope fruit was going to be sold to the Marines by a rival crew. They both were convinced that I’d be able to cure myself if I ate it, so we went to Minion Island. It’s where the Barrels Pirates were holed up.” 

Pausing then, Law chewed on his lip. There was a lot he was leaving out; his suspicion about Cora-san not being who he said and his hatred for the Marines - which still burned, even now. That didn’t really matter, though; Kid would ask if he wanted to know more. “...Something was off with Cora-san the longer we were away. I didn’t know what it was until it was too late. Doffy was coming for the fruit, but we got there first. Cora-san said once I ate it and healed myself, he and I would go somewhere to live in peace.”

Oh, this was bad. Kid already knew how the story ended and the way it was piecing together made everything so much worse. The sound he made couldn’t really be described, though it was clearly one of understanding and sadness. Shifting his hand, Kid started to thread his fingers through Law’s hair, soft and repetitive, just as Law had done for him. Hopefully it would impart the same calming waves it had for Kid.

“I mentioned Corazon was just a title…?” glancing at Kid, Law waited for confirmation before he continued. “His name was Rocinante DonQuixote. Doflamingo’s little brother. I don’t think anyone but the family knows he had a brother…” Trailing off, Law let himself ponder that for a moment, a brief delay to center himself before moving on. 

“ ...Cora-san had been an undercover marine. He was reporting back on the Family’s whereabouts while he was with them and in the six months he was gone with me, the constant Marine presence diminished. They figured out he’d been a rat, which was why he wanted to run once I was cured,” shifting uncomfortably, Law rolled flat on his back to stare up at the sky, scrutinizing it as though he could get strength from the clouds. 

“He was successful, though. Obviously. But in getting the fruit, he got injured. We were hiding from both the DonQuixote Family coming for the Ope-Ope and the Marines, since Barrels was supposed to sell it to them. I came across one of them, a marine. I didn’t know how my power worked, yet. I was… terrified that he’d die. I hated the marines with everything I had, but I begged the one I found to help Cora-san…” every word pulled Law further and further back into the past, to that day. He no longer felt the warmth of the Litchpond sun, the sand morphing into mounds of hard-packed snow. Law felt himself shudder, the action jarring the tears that had welled up without his permission until they slid down the sides of his face.

Kid let Law move however the other man needed, though he didn’t pull away himself. The raw pain radiating from Law was palpable and Kid wanted to do whatever he could to help. It wasn’t much, really, but he could parse out the basic details from here, said them aloud so Law didn’t have to, “But he didn’t. Your Cora-san died on that island. Left you alone.” Being alone… that was something that had always terrified Kid. He’d never faced that particular trial and he never, ever wanted to.

Shutting his eyes, Law nodded slowly, a single shuddering breath leaving him before he could speak again. He didn’t bother batting the tears away, “It was some kind of cosmic joke. Cora-san was an undercover marine who infiltrated the Family, and the marine I came across that day was one of the DonQuixote Pirates who had infiltrated the Marines. He recognized Cora-san, knew he was a traitor, and beat the shit out of both of us until we were unconscious” 

To this day, Law couldn’t decide what it was that really made him claustrophobic; escaping Flevance crushed beneath the weight of corpses and dying men, or the short time he spent in the treasure chest Cora-san had hidden him in. Helpless to stop what was coming. What he heard. “But Cora-san woke up and managed to hide me in a treasure chest the Barrels Pirates left behind before the Family could arrive. He wanted me to be free, no matter what happened to him. He hid me away and went to face Doffy on his own. ...he had a Devil Fruit power, too, the power of silence. He used it on me, so no one would hear how loud I was screaming and crying. I heard all six gunshots. I knew they’d all hit, too, because it sounds different when they don’t. But he held on long enough for me to escape the Family on my own.”

Kid’s whole body was so tense it hurt. What an awful fucking story and an even worse thing to live through. He’d already know DonQuixote was a bastard, but to kill his own brother like that… Kid knew it was a bit like calling the kettle black, but what he’d done to Kat had been borne from mercy. This story made it clear that DonQuixote had none of that. Shifting slightly, Kid rolled onto his side and reached out with his top arm, gently brushing Law’s bangs from his forehead, “Helps explain why you’re so fucked up.” Even in this, even with how awful Law’s history was, Kid didn’t show pity. Neither of them needed it.

Law huffed and managed to sound amused. When Kid shifted, he half expected the other man to brush the tears away and was grateful when he didn’t. They were easier to accept and ignore and wiping them away would acknowledge they were there in the first place, “Yeah, it helps, but you still don’t know the worst of it.” 

At that Kid swallowed, eyebrows bunching at the insides of his eyes as he studied the other man. What a strange thing to hear from Law; it was like he was offering to divulge even more, when he’d already spilled his guts far and beyond any discussion they’d had so far. Kid was almost unsure of whether or not he should take the bait, so he tried to find a middle ground, “... Y’gonna tell me about that, then? Or no?” 

The promise he’d made to tell Kid about where he was from the next time he asked was one he intended to keep. But Law hoped like hell Kid didn’t intend on springing that on him now. “...Are you asking?” he’d need a lot of fucking booze if the redhead expected him to go on. And probably a shower. 

Kid considered that for a moment, knowing the question that was hanging over both their heads. But Law had already shared something clearly monumental and today had been exhausting enough for both of them already. So he shook his head, scooting down a little until he could rest his head on Law’s arm, “No. Not unless you really feel like sharin’.”

“Uhh… I’m not exactly excited at the idea, no,” Law replied, deflating in gratitude at the out he’d been given. While the level of emotion the conversation had forced him to feel had been difficult, Law was surprised at how easy it was to actually speak the words. It made him think that maybe, when the time came, it would be possible to tell the story of where he was from. 

“Okay, then,” nodding like that was the obvious answer, Kid hesitated for just a moment before pushing forward and pressing his lips to Law’s. As his eyes slid closed a sense of peace washed over him; it was like he belonged here. He’d missed this, even though it had only been a day. He was fucking helpless for the Psycho Surgeon and he knew it, but what was there to be done about it? Nothing.

Just as Law hadn’t pitied Kid after he shared his past, Law was beyond grateful that Kid was doing the same for him. The point of contact between them seemed to work as an energy exchange because until that moment Law wasn’t sure he’d be able to move on his own any time soon, but the moment Kid kissed him his arms were around the redhead’s neck and pulling him in closer. The contact was appreciated for multiple things, but most prominently in Law’s mind was the reminder that this was what he’d almost sailed away from; this feeling of home.

As they lay there together under the waning summer sun, pressed as close together as possible and drinking in every second together, Kid had one last flash of certainty run through him. He needed this; this man, these moments, this idea of a future with Law. While he meant what he’d said and would walk away if Law did so again, Kid fervently hoped that day would never come. Because he just realized how badly he wanted Law to meet Yara, how important it was for Law to know that last final piece of his life, and if Law ever broke her heart - much less Kid’s own - Kid would break his spine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To all our readers and every single individual lovely person who gave us kudos, thank you a million times over, we appreciate you so much and hope you continue to read and enjoy.  
> To our commenters, you guys are our fucking lifeblood and the reason this fic is getting updates every week. You give us the drive and inspiration to keep going and every single comment we get is squealed over and talked about between us.  
> Thank you all. <3


	30. Closing the Wounds

Though the two of them had taken a couple more hours together, moving to the shade of the trees and talking through things mundane and trivial - all that mattered was staying close and hearing each other’s voices. But by the time night had well and truly fallen, both captains knew they had to return to their crews. There would be stories to be told in both camps, though one of them might have an easier time of it than the other. 

So it was with, perhaps, some hint of trepidation that Kid entered their cave. He had a bouquet of wildflowers in one hand for Yara and a puppy dog look in his eyes for Killer, hoping both could be put off yelling at him for vanishing all day. Straightening as he reached the main living space, Kid took a deep breath and looked around for his family. Fuck, but was there so much to tell them both. 

When Kid didn’t return right away, Killer immediately knew why. Had he not had Yara to contend with, he likely would have gone storming after his empty-headed captain, but he’d prioritized her happiness over his need for revenge. What he had done was go to the surveillance room to see what they were up to, bringing Yara with him; perhaps that would serve as a little bit of vengeance again the redhead.

Upon Kid’s arrival back in their base, he set Yara loose first. She’d been burning up with unanswered questions about her brother’s relationship with Law that Killer had refused to answer. She threw herself at Kid, forcing him to catch her one handed before fixing him with a stern expression, “You told me that Law wasn’t your boyfriend.”

Oh, fuck. After juggling her for a moment until he could get her safely tucked against a hip, Kid shot Yara a huge, winning smile and offered her the flowers in his other hand, hoping that they would distract her just long enough to avoid seeing the sharp, resentful look he sent Killer’s way. Bastard had absolutely done that on purpose. Luckily, he was more ready to have this conversation than he’d ever been and so he took a deep breath and jumped right in, “He is now.”

“Really?” Yara asked, perking up at the same time as Killer growled the same thing, his demeanor the complete opposite of hers, “Does that mean I get to meet him!? And then we can all hang out together instead of just you two alone all the time! That would be so cool, I wanna meet him and his crew!”

The sidelong look that Kid shot Killer then was smug - that’s what he got for trying to trap him with his own little sister. Returning his attention to Yara, Kid grinned a little and bit playfully at the flyaway strands of hair framing her face, “Yeah, Sprout, think it does.” He and Law had made serious progress today, progress he was proud of and certain in - probably more than he should be, if he was being honest with himself, but he couldn’t help it. He wanted to share it with her.

“Before you get too excited, Yara, why don’t you go get ready for bed? I think Kid owes you a sleepover since he bailed on our card game earlier, don’t you?” Killer asked, pointedly interrupting in a way he hoped Yara wouldn’t pick up on. He was more than a little mind boggled that Kid had made the jump from whatever was between him and Trafalgar being over to now inviting the scrawny bastard to meet his sister in barely a handful of hours.

The look Yara gave Killer was almost as harsh as the one he’d just received from her brother. Throwing her arms around Kid’s neck she squeezed herself against him, stubbornly refusing to get down, “Kid can come get ready too!” Like hell she was about to let him out of her sight when he’d finally just said she was going to get to meet this Law guy. All she wanted to do now was probe for more details.

“Trust me, Yara, I’m gonna keep him here. You said you wanted to take a bath before bed, remember?” Killer couldn’t do anything but hope Yara was willing to follow through with her usual routine. He wasn’t the type of asshole who was going to question Kid in front of Yara or any of the rest of the crew for that matter. He respected Kid, but damn if the bastard didn’t push his buttons sometimes.

It was so, so tempting to let Yara have her way and use her adorable little stubborn streak to ward off what was likely to be Killer’s violent questioning session. But the blonde deserved better than that and Kid knew it. Sighing softly, he buried his face in Yara’s hair for a second before bouncing her slightly and bending over to set her down, “Kill’s right, y’know. Go clean up, I’ll be right there.”

Yara looked back and forth between them before huffing. “I’m gonna go to Kid’s room when I’m done and if you’re not there I’m gonna be disappointed,” she warned, going with the best threat she could think of that actually held any weight. But that said she allowed Kid to set her down, giving them both her very best stern look before flouncing her way off to the bath chamber.

Nodding obediently to her demands, Kid waited until Yara was out of sight before slowly lifting his gaze to meet Killer’s eyes. There was a fifty-fifty chance he was about to either get yelled at, punched, or potentially even both and while he wouldn’t resist any version of the two, he wasn’t really looking forward to either.

“You gonna tell me why you’re jerking me around just as bad as Trafalgar’s doing to you, huh?” Killer asked, voice still perfectly level but with a clear edge to it. While his arms were crossed, the muscles in his biceps jumped visibly, like he was forcibly holding back from reaching out and shaking Kid. All this back and forth was frustrating; he’d just comforted the redhead the night before and he’d been there to see Kid kiss Law on the beach. They didn’t have time for this kind of silly drama, this ridiculous dance between them.

It was easy as pie to see that Killer was keyed up and unhappy and Kid felt guilty for it. He knew all his best friend had ever done was look out for him and he knew that right now he was making that terribly, frustratingly difficult. Sighing a little he ran a hand through his hair and shook his head, organizing his thoughts before he spoke, “... We talked. He filled in some pretty big holes. He apologized. It’s… better now.”

“Well, what the fuck? Get your shit together, would you? I’m still pissed at him about whatever this was in the first place and now he’s your boyfriend and you’re going to let him meet Yara?” at the end of the day, it was the inconsistency that bothered Killer. He still didn’t really like Trafalgar, but he trusted Kid enough to let him make his own choices in the company he kept. It was just jarring to go from hearing Kid say they were enemies yesterday to finding him worthy of meeting Yara today.

He knew this wasn’t going to be easy. He knew he didn’t deserve for it to be easy. That didn’t mean taking it was easy, either. Grimacing, Kid nodded, knowing step one was to acknowledge that he’d been a pain in Killer’s ass, “Yeah, look, I know. I’m sorry.” Not that he thought the apology would do much, but it felt like the appropriate start.

“Y’gonna at least tell me what the fuck happened?” Killer replied, not yet sure how he felt about Kid’s apology. Regardless of what he thought of Trafalgar, having the two of them finally settled so they could avoid any future drama was one of the best outcome he could hope for. His foolish captain had clearly dug himself in too deep with the other man and would be unable to pull away from him cleanly. Killer figured he could at least try to put up with the guy if he truly made Kid happy. But he needed proof of that, and to know that it would last. If he got that, he might be able to relax around Trafalgar, at least a little bit.

“Ah, yeah,” grimacing a little, Kid grunted as he sank down into the nearest empty seat, rubbing his hand through his hair for a moment before looking back up at Killer. Taking too much time to plan it out and try to find the “right” way to explain the whole thing would probably result in the exact opposite happening, so Kid just took a breath and launched into it, “He killed me in his dreams. It freaked him, everybody he cares about dies I guess, so he ran.”

Taking a moment of silence, Killer processed Kid’s words slowly. At first it was worrisome that Trafalgar had apparently dreamed about killing his captain, but he supposed having such an adverse reaction to it was a good sign. It probably meant the other man didn’t have it out for the redhead. Probably. “...So you called it quits because he ran and forgave him because he came back? That it?”

The grimace that question brought over Kid’s face was immediate and obvious - it sounded so childish, when Killer put it that way. “I mean…” grasping at straws, Kid knew the only options he had were to finally tell Killer the whole truth or stick with the story that - for all intents and purposes - made him sound like an idiot. He didn’t much want to look like an idiot, not to Killer, “No…” Fuck. Fuck. If he was going to tell him the truth, he pretty much had to tell him all of it. Whether or not that would make things better or worse, he couldn’t really tell.

In lieu of a verbal response, Killer raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms, leaning against the rough stone wall nearby and using the fact that Kid was sitting to his advantage, looming over the redhead. He wasn’t about to lead him around by the hand; Kid knew what he wanted. 

“Yer such a fuckin’ pain…” but it was muttered under his breath, quiet - a statement of fact rather than a complaint. Killer had every right to be a pain. The question was where to start. Just kind of… throwing it all out there had worked okay to start, hadn’t gotten him punched, at least, so Kid decided to keep going with that, “First time I went on his sub, we fucked and then he kicked me out. I told him about…” 

There was hesitation then, like there always was, as Kid struggled to reference what had happened to him. It was something he’d never been able to just come out and say, even to Killer, so he stumbled through it like usual, “ … You know, the... shit. A couple months ago. Two nights ago, first time on his ship since the first time, and I let him, uh, top.” Swallowing repeatedly, Kid found himself staring at Killer’s feet - it was far easier than looking him in his helmeted face, “Then I got kicked out again.”

“What a fucking dick,” Killer intoned flatly. It wasn’t sarcastic, and he did mean it, but it took some of the wind out of his sails to know why Trafalgar had done what he did. At least Killer had the benefit of knowing ahead of time, unlike Kid. He understood the reaction. “And you figured out it was bad timing, not him using you, and you calmed the fuck down? After putting the crew on high alert?” Using the same flat voice, Killer knew Kid would realize he wasn’t lecturing; it was his own form of teasing.

Pawing awkwardly at the back of his neck, Kid nodded. He knew that Killer was teasing, but the words were still true. He’d put a lot of his crew, and most certainly Killer, through the wringer with this whole Law thing. To be fair, he’d gone through it himself more than once too, but that was his own fault. He really hadn’t been looking to make things hard for any of them, “Yeah,I‘m a mess.”

“Y’think?” By now, Killer was ready to let things lie. He wasn’t ready to trust Trafalgar yet, but he’d be lying if he said he was any more protective of Yara than Kid was and if the other man felt it was time for the two of them to meet this was clearly getting to be serious. What could he do but accept that the other captain was going to be a part of his life and move on? That didn’t mean he wasn’t going to keep eyes on the shifty fucker at all times, though.

Taking a deep breath, Kid cast his gaze up to meet Killer’s. Part of him felt ridiculous for even wanting to tell Killer, but a bigger part felt like he had to, like it was too important, to monumental, not to. So the words came out in a tumble, Kid’s cheeks reddening to match his hair for the first time in a long time - it wasn’t often something made him blush, “... He said he loved me. Today.”

Killer didn’t realize he dropped his arms until he felt his elbows hit the stone behind him. That was unexpected. Given how open with his emotions Kid was and how emotionally distant Trafalgar had proven himself to be, that caught him completely off guard. “...Did he? Do you believe him?” Killer wasn’t truly skeptical; Trafalgar was a lot of things, but he didn’t seem like the type to use that type of emotional manipulation. 

At that question, Kid’s answering nod came quick and easy. He did. He believed it the moment he heard it, once the words had actually processed. It had felt true, the way it resonated in his chest. “Yeah,” lacing his fingers together, Kid pushed his palms away and toward the floor, letting the stretch run through his shoulders, the physicality of it helping to distract him from the awkwardness of sharing this next detail, “an’ … pretty sure I do too. S’why I want him t’meet Yar.” 

Rolling his eyes behind his helmet, Killer pushed off from the wall and clapped a hand on Kid’s shoulder, “No fucking kidding. He’s had you wrapped around his finger for months. Didn’t need you t’tell me to know that.” Really, that was the reason he was taking this news so well. Killer knew that Trafalgar was important to Kid and as much of an asshole as the other captain was, he was smart enough to recognize a coping method when he saw one. If he could make Kid happy, as long as it lasted, he’d allow it. Begrudgingly.

Kid’s face went from uncomfortable and worried to affronted in the span of a few seconds, his words echoing the sentiment in his eyes as he rose to his feet, “I ain’t around nobody’s fuckin’ finger.” But even as he said it, Kid knew it was a lie and he knew Killer knew it too. He’d been wrapped around Yara’s finger since the day she was born and most of the time he was pretty tightly entwined with Killer’s, too. But he’d argue Law’s hold over him, at least for a little while longer, just to make a point.

“Sure thing, Captain,” Killer replied, turning to head down the passage to Kid’s quarters. “Better get to your room. Wouldn’t want Yara to be disappointed in us, huh?” he knew the redhead would follow so he didn’t bother waiting for a response, leaving the open great room behind. 

Sticking his tongue out in response to Killer’s words, Kid nonetheless did exactly as expected of him and followed after his second. He’d been so worried about having this conversation with Killer, had fully expected it to blow up, start with yelling and potentially end with a few swinging fists. The two men had settled their fair share of fights that way over the years. 

But at the end of it all, this was a reminder that if anybody loved him, it was well and truly Killer. Maybe not the same way that Law did, but Kid had a love for Killer that Law would never be able to touch either. The two men were fundamentally different, but Killer was an integral piece of who Kid was, what made him tick, what made his life worth living. Kid would always respect and cherish that, especially in the unexpected moments where it became so apparent. 

Speeding up a little, the redhead closed the gap between them with a couple purposeful strides, coming up beside Killer and wrapping his arm around the other man’s waist. It was a brief tug, barely any pressure, but they were so in tune with one another that it brought Killer to a halt anyway. That done, Kid turned himself into the other man’s body, pressing himself into Killer and resting his forehead in the crook of his neck. Maybe it wasn’t verbal, but the message he was sending was clear. 

Kid was so fucking grateful to this man, the one for whom friend wasn’t a strong enough word, family didn’t even begin to touch the truth, and lover certainly wasn’t right. If he was feeling especially cheesy - or drunk - Kid knew what the right word was, even if he felt a little funny thinking it. But Killer was the only person in Kid’s life who’d given everything he had for Kid’s sake, so they could get out, so the spitfire Eustass boy could be more than his parentage and his hair color. At the end of the day, the truth of what Killer was to him was known on an instinctive level. He’d never once doubted it and he never would.

Killer was his soulmate. Always was, always would be. 

With an affectionate sigh, Killer paused and circled his arms around Kid’s waist. “Yeah, yeah,” he murmured, patting the other man’s hip briefly. He never questioned his place in Kid’s life and wasn’t threatened by Trafalgar even now. He knew his importance and his meaning to the redhead. Kid held the same place for him, which was why he could be so angry whenever his captain put himself in danger. But in that same token, he’d promised to support Kid in pursuit of his goals and whether that meant the One Piece or this weird relationship with a bizarre little man, a promise was a promise and Killer was a man of his word. 

Smiling against Killer’s skin, Kid held his position for a few long, languorous seconds just so he could enjoy the sensation of being this close to him. It felt a lot like safety and warmth, like belonging. It was a sensation that he’d only ever gotten with Kat and Yara before and even then it had never felt like safety. As far as Kid could figure, the way he felt when Killer was around must be what normal people meant when they said that something felt like home. 

“C’mon, mushball, it’s more comfortable in bed,” Killer grumbled playfully, stepping out of the hold Kid had on him. They were likely running out of time before they beat Yara to Kid’s room and he wasn’t quite in the mood for a lecture; especially not one he could easily avoid.

Well… that was true. With a little laugh, Kid acquiesced and followed Killer back to his nook, shrugging out of his clothes and finding a clean pair of underwear before flopping back onto his bed. Staring up at the rocky ceiling he let his mind drift, thoughts absently wandering as he reached for Killer to come close again. 

Killer’s nightly ritual was more complex than Kid’s so he was used to the redhead getting impatient. Apparently, this time both his redheads were feeling impatient, as Yara came running into the room full tilt, still wet, and slammed into the backs of his legs. Catching himself on the wall - she was getting so big all of a sudden - Killer turned to look at her over his shoulder, “Hey, Yar. Y’missed a spot.”

Stepping back and rocking on her heels, Yara smiled mock-bashfully up at the blond. “I just wanted to make sure you were both here,” she replied innocently as several beads of water dripped from her hair over her temples and along the curve of her cheeks. How she managed to look so angelic while being such a little devil was a detail neither one of them had ever been able to figure out. 

Kid had pushed himself upright at the first thump of eager little feet and found himself grinning from ear to ear at her abrupt entrance. “We’re here, Sprout,” the words were warm, Kid’s countenance relaxed; a sharp contrast to how he’d been that morning. While he was happy to see her, he wasn’t much interested in sleeping in a wet bed, “An’ we’ll be here once yer dried off, too. Go on.”

Yara turned to face Kid slowly, the innocent look on her face slowly morphing into pure deviousness. Before either man could react, she turned and flung herself onto Kid’s bed. She wasn’t soaking wet, but wet enough to leave an imprint where she landed on the blanket. “I’m dry!” She announced triumphantly, squirming to get under the covers before her brother could catch her.

The disconcerted roar that escaped Kid at that echoed through the room as he launched himself upright, throwing himself forward to get at her before she managed to make it under the blankets. It was lucky that for all his bulk Kid was fast, because he managed to get her off the bed before she managed to slink between the sheets. Tossing her wiggling, protesting little body over his shoulder, Kid grunted as he turned toward the entrance, “That is not a towel.”

“I don’t need a towel, I’m not wet!” Yara protested, squirming and attempting to free herself from her brother’s grip. “You get the bed wetter by getting all sweaty, at least I’m clean,” she huffed, finally giving up at the realization she was still too small to obtain freedom on her own.

Offended, Kid swatted at her behind as he marched them both down to the baths, “I don’t. And y’are wet.” Refusing to let her down, Kid procured a towel on his own and wrapped her in it cocoon style, pinning her arms to her sides and her legs together so he could proceed to dry her with some semblance of ease. She wiggled like a mad thing, but that was half the fun. 

“You do! Sweaty butt,” she teased, spiteful at her capture. There was no real anger, though; just typical sibling rivalry and playfulness even as she bared her teeth and attempted to bite whatever body parts came in range throughout the process of being forcefully dried. “Be careful with my hair, you’ll make it all frizzy! Then I’ll look like you,” she added with a little giggle.

Easily dodging her bites - though not as easily as it had been a few years earlier - Kid’s response was just as playful and teasing as Yara’s. At the end of the day, after all, he wasn’t her father; just her older brother, “Yeah, you wish you had hair like mine!” The spikes had started out as rebellion and turned into something that felt like him; so it took some extra time in the morning to get them just right and some frantic shopping to find the right product when whatever he was currently using ran out, whatever. It was worth it. 

“Maybe not all stick-up like yours, but I wish mine was more red. Yours is so pretty,” she sighed, calming down incrementally as she ran out of energy. It had been a long day, after all, and she was ready to crawl into bed and cuddle. “Ok. I’m dry. Bed now,” she demanded, reversing her earlier tactic of struggling and going entirely limp so Kid had to carry her back.

Kid could literally feel the way his heart swelled and his breath caught in his throat for a moment at her first comment. Going with a nod as the safe response, Kid tucked Yara in against his chest as he carried her back toward his sleeping quarters. It never ceased to amaze him how this little girl, the one who knew nothing about what happened to him because he made damn sure of it, always managed to find a way to soothe his old hurts anyway. As he entered the little chamber, Kid couldn’t help the dopey grin that came over his face as he looked at the two lights of his life. They were both a miracle, “Come on. Cuddle time.”

Once they reached the threshold of Kid’s room, Yara squirmed again, holding onto Kid so he couldn’t just set her down. “Killer! Catch me!” She turned her gaze up to her brother, hopeful he would play along. She liked the little rush that came from being tossed and knowing she’d have a safe place to land.

The Eustass siblings both shared a taste for danger and Kid was happy to fuel Yara’s when he knew she’d come out the other side unscathed. Grinning at her as they locked eyes, the redhead nodded and spun her around in his arms, giving Killer just enough time to get ready before he quickly - but carefully - tossed her through the air. The sound of her laughter filling the room was like oxygen; Kid couldn’t imagine his life without it. 

Squealing with delight, Yara landed on her back on the mattress and bounced up several inches before being caught in Killer’s lap. “You got good air on that one,” he commented seriously, shifting so she could climb beneath the blankets. “Eight out of ten, at least,” he added with a little smile he reserved especially for her, one she could see thanks to the fact his helmet was currently resting on Kid’s nightstand. 

“If it’s not a ten it’s Kid’s fault,” her response was nothing more than a tease, the love in her voice obvious, “I landed perfect!” Scrambling under the sheets, Yara sat at the head of the bed and pouted up at the men, “It’s bedtime! Come on, quit stallin’!” Her expectation of immediate obedience came to fruition for the most part, both of them sliding between the sheets after Kid puttered for a moment to make sure all his things were in their proper spots. 

“Heh, true,” Killer replied as he settled in, shifting until he was comfortable. At least, as comfortable as was possible when sharing a bed with the Eustass siblings. “It’s almost always Kid’s fault if something’s not perfect, isn’t it?” he asked, needling his captain further in reference to their earlier conversation.

Frowning at the both of them as Yara chirped her agreement, Kid pretended to be put out for a moment before taking his own jab at Killer, “Who was the one that said y’couldn’t keep the octopus y’found down on the beach as a pet?” While he’d caught Killer’s insinuation, he wasn’t going to let it bother him; Killer deserved to let off some steam. 

Snorting, Yara burrowed under the blankets, pulling them off Kid and Killer until she was fully tucked in on all sides. “But that’s not doin’ somethin’ perfectly. That’s a bad argument, Kid. Three out of ten,” she giggled, her eyes peeking out of the folds of the blanket as she peered up at her brother.

While it was a put upon sigh that escaped his lips, the twinkle in Kid’s eye put the lie to that sound. Shaking his head he only ruffled her hair through the blanket, at ease as they spoke, “Guess so.” Reaching down, he grabbed the blanket balled under her hip, eyebrow raising as he looked at her with fake solemnity, “Are you gonna share or do we have’t take?”

“Mmm,” Yara hummed as she considered the question before rolling to the side, “okay, I’ll share. But I wanna know why you were actin’ weird earlier.” She paused long enough for her words to sink in before rolling to the side to release the part of the blanket she had trapped beneath her. 

Busying himself with pulling the covers over his own body, Kid took a moment to parse through his thoughts. Once he was settled he looked from his sister to Killer and then back, sighing as he tucked her into the crook of his arm, “I thought things went bad with me and Law.” Simple and true. Not that it would be enough for her, in all likelihood, but a place to start. 

“Did it?” Looking up at Kid with a frown, Yara pushed herself up so they were nose to nose. “Was he an asshole? Do you want me to beat him up?” Though she was partially teasing - Kid _had_ said Law was his boyfriend now, after all - there was also sincerity in her tone. Tiny or not, boyfriend or not, Yara would absolutely kick the shit out of Law if she felt it was necessary.

Laughing softly, Kid kissed the tip of her nose before responding to her question, “Made him wait all day in the sun. With long sleeves.” It was the kind of “punishment” that Yara would find fitting, he was certain, she had grown to like those kind of petty, circumstance based things. Much like her older brother. “We’re good now,” he finished, stroking her hair gently before tweaking the end of her braid, “we talked.”

“... Yuck. Bet he smelled like boy sweat. It’s the worst,” she replied, collapsing back on the pillow. “When do I get to meet Law? I wanna meet him tomorrow. Tell him to come over,” Thinking about her response, Yara scrunched her nose and added, “as long as he showers first.”

“You should smell girl sweat,” Kid rejoined, amused as always at her antics. As she settled he began to sink down as well, the warmth and comfort of his bed calling after what had been a long and emotional day. It would be so nice, for Law to meet Yara. For a moment, he imagined a bed big enough to hold all four of them and just the thought of it made his chest swell with warmth. It was time, for Law to meet Yara, “Okay, Sprout. I will.”

“Like you know what girl sweat smells like, I’m the only girl you know,” Yara replied, rolling her eyes. She perked up, however, at the promise of getting to meet Law, and so soon, “Really!? Call him right now, where’s the snail!? I don’t even know what he sounds like, I wanna know. Can I call him?”

Casting a look to Killer tha clearly telegraphed “help,” Kid shook his head and wrapped an arm around her before Yara could bound up and out of bed to go find a transponder herself. Yawning for added effect, the redhead nuzzled the side of her face gently, trying to lull her into behaving, “Want it t’be a surprise, okay?”

“But if you don’t do it, you never will. You keep saying I’ll get to meet him some day and I wanna!” Pouting, Yara turned to look over her shoulder at Killer, “Killer, promise you’ll make Kid tell Law to come meet me?” 

It was probably for the best that she didn’t know that if Killer had his wish, the Psycho Surgeon would never have met either of them. So rather than release the sigh building in his chest, Killer only nodded and lifted a hand to pat the top of her head gently for a few moments, “Quicker you sleep, the sooner it’ll be tomorrow.”

Satisfied with that response, Yara flashed a brilliant grin at Killer before turning back to Kid, “Tomorrow. You promise?” Gasping then, she flung the blanket off Kid and scrambled for his hands. “I gotta make these look better! And mine too! Wake me up when you get up so we have lots of time to get ready, ok?”

Kid would never say no to a little vanity, especially when it came to his nails. Nodding completely earnestly, he smiled at her before softly pulling her back down between himself and Killer, “Do my face too?” To be fair, she was entirely right. If Law was going to meet his family tomorrow, they should both look their very best. 

With a wicked grin, Yara did her best to make her shrug look casual, “I dunno, Kid, we’d have to get up _reeeeeeally_ early for that.” Giggling, she shifted and kissed his cheek to soften the blow, “I’ll do yours and Killer’s, too! And when Law gets here, maybe him too?” Yara had made up a personality for this mysterious character her brother kept seeing from the bits and pieces she’d managed to pick up, but in the end she knew almost nothing about him. She wanted to know this person her brother had come to care for and show him what it meant to be part of their team.

At that Kid grinned, just as mischievous as his sister, “Y’should paint his nails, too.” The way that Law treated Yara was going to be of paramount importance - if he couldn’t respect and get along with her, there wasn’t much of a future for them. He wanted everything to go seamlessly, wanted the two of them to mesh together, wanted them to enjoy each other’s company. And besides, Law’s look suggested he’d be fine with painted nails, so where would the harm be?

“Okay, done! Good night!” Closing her eyes, Yara willed herself to sleep as quickly as she could. Killer was right after all; the sooner she went to sleep, the sooner she’d wake up. She couldn’t put her finger on why she was so excited; maybe it was just to see if Law was anything like she imagined. Whatever the reason, she was eagerly looking forward to the morning and was now ready to do anything it took to make it come.

“Good night, kiddo…” rolling onto his side, Kid looped his arm around her waist, letting the warmth of his body and the shield of his bulk soothe her into sleep. He knew he wouldn’t be long after her, but he managed to keep his eyes open long enough to look into Killer’s. It was funny how just laying together, silent but for the sound of breathing, was still more than enough for crystal clear communication to flow between them. The way Kid’s gaze softened in gratefulness was easy to read, as was the affection in his eyes, and the final touch of his hand sneaking out to tangle with Killer’s own was more than enough to convey what he was thinking as he began to drift off, _Couldn’t do this without you._

Across the channel, Law’s return to his own crew was more peaceful than he anticipated. He expected the majority of them to fuss over him after a sudden disappearance directly on the heels of one of his… episodes. But as Jean Bart rowed him back to the dock, they mostly just waved and welcomed him back. Law visibly relaxed and shot the larger man a grateful look; he had to have been the reason they were all so calm.

Of course, Bepo, Shachi, and Penguin were the exception. The mink was practically wringing his hands as Law stepped onto the deck, the other two flanking him and looking equally nervous and somehow guilty, as though they should know better than to be acting this way. Probably Jean Bart’s doing, again. Law approached the three of them with a slight smile, hands in his pockets. “Hey.”

“Hi, Captain!” Bepo’s voice rang out too eager, too focused on being cheerful as opposed to worried. For their parts, Shachi and Penguin didn’t do much better, and Penguin especially couldn’t keep the sullen tone from his voice. But they did their best and the look Jean Bart kept shooting them probably kept them in line better than anything else. 

“You can quit worrying. I feel better now. What’s for dinner?” Law stepped around them, headed for the mess, but he did gesture for the other three to follow. They could speak more candidly when the whole crew wasn’t watching and, while it was a bit late for dinner, Law was starving. He was kind of impressed at his own fortitude, considering how little he’d had to eat prior to sitting in the sun all day. On top of that, they always seemed preoccupied with his eating habits whenever he got a certain way, so Law was hoping a meal would serve as some sort of proof he meant what he said.

“Clione made uni and rice with a seaweed sauce,” the response came from Shachi this time, keeping pace with the others as they trailed after their Captain. Part of him was of a mind to lecture Law, while he knew that Penguin was more in the mood to scold and Bepo would be more likely to worry so much it saddled Law with a sense of guilt, but he also knew that Jean Bart had made it clear they weren’t supposed to do any of that. Of course, they all had rank on him, but you didn’t pull rank on a man you respected that much. So it was, perhaps, easier for them to say nothing at all.

“Uni, huh?” Law mused softly, leading them to a table near the back so they’d be uninterrupted by anyone who was already there. “I’m gone for a day and we resort to cannibalism?” The teasing came easily and was, he hoped, just more evidence that he was of sound mind once more. The less they fussed over him the better. 

The response he got was dour, Penguin’s words flat, “No. It’s a sea urchin.” While they were all going to do as Jean Bart asked and not make a big deal about it verbally, it seemed like none of them had the gumption to put on a smile and pretend everything was okay. It was true their captain was acting just fine, but that didn’t mean that they were happy with his actions over the last forty eight hours. 

With a sigh, Law sank down into the chair against the wall so he could face his crew. This particular response wasn’t one he was used to. “Well, out with it then,” he encouraged when none of them spoke up now that they were alone. 

As the three of them took seats along the table across from him, it felt a lot like a panel of judges coming to hand down their judgement, with Law as the target. But even at his prompting they didn’t speak right away, instead choosing to send furtive glances between themselves as though silently fighting over who had to speak next. It was awkward and uncomfortable and every single one of them knew it. 

Well, if they weren’t going to sort it out, Law would. Penguin was the one with the sharpest tongue when provoked and he’d rather start with anger than the disappointment he could feel radiating from Bepo. “Penguin?” 

With the spotlight put on him, Law’s second-in-command felt his eyes narrow as he turned to face his captain. It took all he had not to sound rude as he responded, digging his fingers into his thigh in order to try and respect Jean Bart’s wishes, “What? We’re glad you’re back, Captain. We hope you had a good time. Wherever it was you went.”

“So that’s what it is,” It made sense, of course. After all they’d done to help him get his head straight, he’d gone somewhere else to finish the job. Didn’t they know he never could have left in the first place had it not been for their support? For their constant reminders that he wasn’t alone, that he did have people who cared about him? 

Law wanted to laugh. Why should they know that? It wasn’t like he ever did a damn thing to tell them. “Speak freely, Peng. I’m giving you my permission, since it seems to me you think you need it.” He’d rather the three of them air their grievances; it was past time Law owned up to the fact he’d been a rather shitty captain. 

The silence was tense for another moment, Penguin’s internal war between what Jean Bart had asked and what Law just said raging quite fiercely, but after another few moments it was clear his own emotion had thrown in with Law’s side and together they overruled Jean Bart’s stern, thoughtful request. So when the words finally came, they were sharp and fast, “What’s what ‘it’ is, Captain? Fact that you went from comatose and freaking us all out to vanishing in the middle of the night without a damn word and being gone the entire day? That what ‘it’ is?”

“You tell me, Penguin,” Law replied softly. Though his first mate had made it clear that was exactly what was bothering him, Law could see something simmering in him and he wanted Penguin to get it all out. Wanted that from Shachi and Bepo, too. That was the only way he could really clear the air. That feeling from before, of being hollowed out, of being a stranger to himself, was proving to be beneficial in this moment. It meant that his usual practice of keeping his crew at an arm’s length no longer felt important. 

This was weird and part of Penguin recognized that. Law didn’t usually encourage this kind of thing, never really pushed them to air out their grievances. So maybe… he should take the opportunity, since he wasn’t sure if another one would ever come around. He swallowed then, once, twice, three times and then it just started coming, his tone perhaps as sharp as he’d ever taken it with Law, “Fine. Yeah, yeah Captain, that’s it! You go through this weird shit where you shut down and you abandon us and then you come back like everything is normal, but it’s not! It’s not normal to make us worry until we’re sick; do you even know how often you’ve made Bep throw up because he was worried about you?” 

The longer Penguin went on, the redder his face got - like he was forgetting to take a breath between words, “We’re always here for you, we always do what we can to make it better, but you make us feel like failures most of the time because we never even really know what’s _wrong_ no matter how hard we try to find out! And so when you just leave like that, of course it seems like it’s because we couldn’t do anything worthwhile to help, then we just have to sit and wait and feel all anxious and jittery and crap because for all we know, you’re out there taking a knife to your throat or something else just as awful!” 

By now, Bepo had tears in his eyes and was staring something fierce at the top of the table, but even the fluff of his fur wasn’t enough to stop his tears from starting to speckle the surface. It was so hard to hear Penguin lash out like this but it’s because it was true - they’d spent countless hours together trying to convince each other that things weren’t _that_ bad, that their Captain, their _friend_ would come back from wherever he went, that they wouldn’t have to try and find him and come across his broken body somewhere. Because they’d all agreed, and that was the worst of it all, that Law wouldn’t give them any warning or any sign. That if it ever happened, he’d try to hide it and the only way they’d ever know was to find his corpse somewhere. 

Shachi’s face was a play of emotions, his gaze darting around the room like he was tracking a fly, or something else just as jumpy. Whatever it took not to look at Law or Penguin, he’d take it. He kept puffing his cheeks out and then letting the air blow out through pursed lips, a subconscious tell showing how deeply uncomfortable he was and how little control he had over fixing the whole situation. The way his fingers danced in his lap was just further proof of it all. Part of him thought he should jump in to defend his captain, but that was just habit. In the end, he knew Penguin was right. 

Law wasn’t surprised about most of what Penguin had to say, though his last few words did make him pause, eyebrows drawn together. They thought he was suicidal? He knew he was reckless and cared little about his well-being, but Law was far from suicidal. Again, it occurred to him they had no reason to know that. It wasn’t like he ever even shared what his nightmares were, what they stemmed from. “...I’m not suicidal,” Law replied finally, trying to pick his words carefully. “I know that’s not really the point. But I’m not going to kill myself.” Letting his words sink in for a moment, Law caught Shachi’s gaze. “You have anything you’d like to add?”

Swallowing hard, Shachi tried to tear his gaze away but Law’s pull was too strong. While he was tempted to say no, that wasn’t true and if there was any time in the world to be honest, it was now. Taking a deep breath, Shachi closed his eyes for a moment to pray for strength before meeting Law’s eyes again, tone a little shaky, but certain, “... You’ve been... cruel to us, Captain.” There was so much wrapped up in that phrase, so much he could expand on, but in the moment it felt like it said everything he needed it too.

Shachi’s words rang truer than anything; he had been and it was an intentional way of keeping distance between them. Until now. Nodding briefly, Law paused to make sure there was nothing else Shachi had to say before turning his gaze to Bepo, who was the most difficult of the three to face. He could handle Penguin’s anger and Shachi’s disappointment, but the mink looked heartbroken and that wasn’t something Law had ever been good at facing, “...Bepo…?”

Hearing his own name on Law’s lips made things worse for Bepo. He shook his head then, pawing at his face as he tried - and failed - to hold it a shuddering little hiccup of air. It was clear he was on the verge of doing a lot more than just letting a few tears fall. There were things he could say but what was the point? He felt miserable at what Law had done but he felt miserable at what Penguin and Shachi had said to him, too, even if it was all true. 

The years of training he’d put himself through to avoid attachments would probably never fully go away. But right now, the instinct that had been so strong was just an annoyance Law was getting better at ignoring, “...You’re right, Shachi. Penguin. I’ve been wondering for a while why you’re all so loyal to me when I haven’t done much to deserve it.” Law could sense the shock, could see it in the way Penguin’s posture changed, how Shachi’s head snapped up in surprise. Speaking so frankly was starting to feel natural, but Law still struggled to balance that against his stubborn sense of self-preservation. What was funny is that he was starting to realize that it never would have worked in the first place.

At that statement Bepo was finally able to find his words, though they came through thick with emotion and the quaver of a voice about to break, “Because we love you.” Whatever else was - needed to be - said, it was important to Bepo that Law knew that, that he knew even when they were hurt it was because they cared. He was so worried about what would happen if Law ever doubted that.

“I know, Bepo,” Law replied, sincere even as he shook his head and huffed out a sound of disbelief, “I just don’t see what I’ve done to deserve that, either.” He wasn’t looking for them to reassure him right now, though; they were the ones who needed it this time, so Law didn’t pause long enough for that to happen. “I’ll explain,” Law promised before gesturing to the tray of food Clione was approaching with. “Just… maybe not here,” While he knew it was his whole crew who worried and that he owed an explanation to, these three deserved to hear the truth first. 

Penguin’s disbelieving huff in response made it clear how much stock he put in that promise. They’d been the three with Law the longest, the ones most exposed to his behavior, and right now Penguin didn’t have it in him to pretend he would expect anything different. But he didn’t verbalize it otherwise, instead choosing to prop his chin in his hand and stare off into the middle distance as Law had his food delivered. 

As their cook approached, Law flashed him a smile and thanked him quietly before taking the tray of food. It would be awkward to eat like this, while his three closest friends stared at him in a mix of anger and despair, “Do you want to wait around while I eat? Because if not, I’ll meet you in my cabin.” Law could only hope they’d all feel more comfortable saying what needed to be said without an audience.

“Why, so you can run again?” the words rang out like a shot, verbalized before Penguin even realized he was saying them. Starting upright, Law’s second looked startled, then angry, then conflicted all in the span of a few seconds before he shoved his chair back and rose abruptly, turning in a fervor and stalking out of the room before anyone had a chance to say something to him. Around the anger buzzing between his ears, Penguin could hear the voice in the back of his head telling him that he needed to calm down. He knew he wasn’t going to pull that off if he kept sitting there. 

Law was surprised to find that, in spite of his understanding, Penguin’s words _hurt_. That was what he got for opening himself up like this, he supposed. Shaking his head to force some clarity to his thoughts, he turned his gaze back to Bepo and Shachi, “..If you two feel the same, you can keep an eye on me. I can’t promise it’ll be exciting, though.” 

More than anything, Bepo felt like he had to be the one to keep the peace. This friendship, the four of them, it was the thing that kept him upright and happy and stable and he hated to see any fractures in it. Chewing on his lower lip for a moment, the mink struggled to decide on the right thing to do before finally speaking, “... N-no, Captain. We trust you. We do.” He sounded so earnest it was clear he was trying to convince Shachi, Penguin, perhaps even himself to the truth of that as much as he was trying to convince Law, “Penguin just… is worried. We will talk to him.” Standing himself, Bepo looked down at Shachi with a look in his eyes that clearly telegraphed a silent plea that Shachi come along without argument. 

Seeing that face, Shachi heaved a deep sigh and chose only to nod, rising to accompany the mink without further words directed to Law. He needed some time to cool down himself, it seemed, though he wasn’t as explosive as Penguin. But it was the First Mate who always took on the biggest burden, wasn’t it? That was the job. Shachi didn’t begrudge Penguin his outburst. It was with a gentle hand on Bepo’s back that he guided the mink out of the room as well. 

As they left, Law let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. Now that he’d been presented with something to eat, it occurred to him just how hungry he was and it would only have added to their worry if the three of them watched how ravenously he ate. Especially considering his appetite was usually easily sated. For now, that was what he focused on, letting the buzz of anxiety over the conversation he knew was coming quiet before facing the others.

Allowing himself to be led, Bepo walked with his head down as he and Shachi navigated the hallways of the Polar Tang that led to the captain’s quarters. “...do you really think the Captain’s going to tell us what’s happening?” He couldn’t help but be hopeful, even though Bepo knew that was probably foolish of him. The captain rarely shared anything about himself, and this topic of conversation was practically taboo.

Though he didn’t want to burst the mink’s bubble, Shachi also didn’t want to lie. He was uncertain himself, but leaning more toward the thought that Law wasn’t going to share anything of substance, like usual. Shaking his head, the man just patted his companion’s back lightly and shook his head, “We’ll just have to wait and see, Bep.”

Sighing, Bepo nodded and felt his head dip lower. He could tell Shachi wasn’t very hopeful either. He would have said so if he was. It was no use asking Penguin what he thought, either, given how mad he was. It was odd to enter the captain’s room without knocking, knowing that the man it belonged to was not present. Bepo felt a little like he was trespassing.

About ten minutes later Penguin joined them, somewhat calmer than they’d last seen him. He was still a little jittery and perhaps still prone to a knee jerk reaction or two, but at least he felt like he could talk. “Hey,” he was solemn as he entered, primarily focused on finding the least awkward place to wait for Law. 

“Where’d you get off to?” Shachi asked, leaning against the wall opposite the door. He and Bepo had encountered similar problems, and he’d immediately taken up one of the few open spaces on the wall while Bepo was standing awkwardly at the foot of Law’s bed. He had started to worry that their captain would arrive before Penguin did, which could only make things even more uncomfortable.

“Deck,” the response was short in length, but not in tone. Penguin wasn’t going to take his mood out on Shachi or Bepo, especially not now that he’d calmed down. Grimacing at the options left to him - bed, the desk chair, or the top of the dresser - Penguin decided to fold himself in between the dresser and the little table next to it, even if there wasn’t really enough room for him. He didn’t feel like sitting. 

“Huh. No loving pep talk from Ikkaku?” Shachi asked, offering a weak smile as he tried to ease some of the tension Penguin was still carrying. Usually, bringing Ikkaku up was enough to get him to relax and Shachi was hoping that’d still be true now, even if just a little bit. 

Shaking his head, Penguin crossed his arms as he leaned the back of his head against the wall, staring up at the ceiling as he responded, “Didn’t want her to see how pissed I am.” No sense in getting her all worked up too, after all. It was his job to defend her and protect her from emotional crap, not put her through it. 

It wasn’t his favorite topic of conversation, but in Shachi’s mind anything was better than silence. “That why you been avoiding her all day?” he asked, not surprised when the other man dropped his head back down to frown at him. Penguin was not fond of anyone who was critical of his relationship on any level, he’d found, which usually just meant it was that much more fun to tease him about it. “She asked me earlier if you said anything to me about being mad at her s’all.”

In hindsight, that maybe wasn’t the best thing to say to him at this moment. “Oh, come on,” grimacing, Penguin shoved himself away from the wall, almost as though he was going to go find her and try to fix everything right now, “fuck, fuck, really?” The last thing he needed today was to have upset his girlfriend as well.

“Hey, chill,” Shachi replied, crossing the room to stop Penguin from barging out the door. “It’s not like she was crying or pissed off or anything; you know if she was really that concerned she’d just ask you. She’s not a wilting flower or something. Let’s hear the captain out and then you can go explain you’ve just been tied up in knots because he’s got you worried.”

Bepo’s little huff of interjection came between them as he moved to point at the door. The handle that was slowly turning completed its rotation before the door swung open and revealed said captain. Law surveyed the three of them slowly before stepping into the room and pulling the door shut behind him. “You could have sat down, you know,” he began, before pointedly sitting on the edge of the bed.

None of them responded to that, Bepo staring at him with wide eyes as Penguin rolled his own and sank back against the wall. It was Shachi who was perhaps the most well balanced of the group right now and he did his best to ease them into it, ensuring the door was shut and leaning back against the solid slab of it before turning his attention back to Law again. 

During his brief solitude while he was eating, it occurred to Law that none of this could really make sense to his crew if they didn’t know the truth. As it stood now, they knew as much about him as Kid did, which even he could see was incredibly unfair. They had been with him for half his life, they were loyal to a fault, they risked their lives for him and they didn’t even know why he had nightmares in the first place. It would be beyond wrong for him to tell Kid where he was from before he told these three.

Taking a deep breath, Law closed his eyes and tried to empty his head of everything other than what needed to be said. Unlike with Kid, these three knew about Flevance. There would be a lot less explanation required, and that knowledge was perhaps what made the words come so easily. “...do any of you know where I’m from? The island I was born on?” 

Apparently Penguin wasn’t quite ready to be forgiving yet, “You know we don’t.” While he was here and wanted to have this conversation, he didn’t take well to feeling like he was being condescended to. Neither Shachi’s sharp look of Bepo’s fearful mutter of apology did anything to make him retract his response. He was going to say what there was to say. 

“I know I haven’t told you. That doesn’t mean you don’t have theories,” Law replied, tone level in spite of the sharpness in Penguin’s response. Dragging it out wouldn’t make it any easier to say, though he was a little curious to see if any of them had figured it out, or what their guesses were. But he wasn’t here to test their patience any longer, so he didn’t. Instead he stared down at his hands where they rested in his lap, “I was born in the White City. In Flevance.”

The hush that settled over the room was immediate and cold, as though all the air had been sucked out and all that surrounded them was a void. Where Shachi and Penguin both had snapped their heads up to stare at Law with faces both confused and incredulous, Bepo was the one who actually spoke first, nervous and slow as he twisted his claws around one another as though the movement would help, “But… Captain. E-everyone from Flevance is… dead…”

When Law looked up from his hands to meet the gaze of his navigator, it was with a look so haunted and raw there could be no question he was telling the truth, “I know, Bepo. I was there. I watched them die.” He thought by now, fifteen years later, that he’d start forgetting the faces of his kinsman but having a mind for detail meant that was almost impossible. The bodies of the group of children the nuns had asked him to join in their evacuation efforts strewn across the grass outside would never, ever fade from the picture inside his mind. 

The sound that left Bepo then was broken, sad and concerned and lost. Lacing his paws together the mink just shook his head, back and forth, back and forth, as though he couldn’t think of anything else to do but that. As Shachi stepped in to comfort him it was Penguin that spoke, voice low and steady but - for the first time - lacking that sharp edge, “Why are you telling us this now?”

“Because if I’m going to tell you the truth, I have to tell all of it,” it really was as simple as that. These three knew the most about him of anyone living. Not just his history or the facts of his life, but his quirks, his preferences, his personality. The culmination of who he was, not just what had happened to him. And once he shared the rest of his truth, Law was certain that certain things about the way he was would make more sense.

At that, Penguin only nodded a little and sank back into his corner. While he wasn’t ready to tearfully throw his arms around Law and proclaim everything would be okay - that was certainly more a Bepo thing, anyway - he was more than willing to listen and hear out where this story was going. 

He’d hoped they’d keep asking questions so he had some sort of guide for what to say and how much to share. But, really, all of it meant all of it. Sucking a breath in through his teeth, Law clenched his fists and tried not to grimace, “I had a younger sister. You’ve all heard about Amber Lead Disease, right? Well, she got sick first. My father was a doctor, the best doctor in Flevance we were told, but even he couldn’t find a cure. Not even with Lamy’s condition getting worse and worse as motivation…”

They all knew about Flevance, so they all knew about Amber Lead. Law’s lack of spots was a little off-putting, could suggest he was being untruthful, but they all knew he had no reason to lie about this, especially. The time he did get a response, a soft murmur of apology that came from all of them and yet nobody in specific, just a sound and a sentiment it was clear they all shared. 

Law wasn’t looking for a response just yet and, as caught up in his story as he was, he didn’t acknowledge their sympathy. He just kept going; stopping would have been too hard, “The World Government did nothing to correct the rumor that the disease was contagious. It was a genetic disorder, a build-up of toxins from one generation to the next that shortened our lifespans, but fear spread anyway and Flevance was quarantined. Anyone who tried to escape was shot and eventually a war broke out. Finally, the World Government decided they weren’t going to take any chances with the truth getting out; they sent soldiers into the White City with flame throwers to burn the whole country to the ground.”

All of this, all at once, from Law of all people was a lot to process and they all managed it in their own way. Bepo was crying softly, the tears matting the fur under his eyes, and Shachi busied himself trying to soothe the mink hoping that the slight distraction would stop him from dissolving into the same. It was Penguin who acted as their mouthpiece, even though they were all still clearly paying attention, “But you’re here.”

Law scoffed, but it wasn’t dismissive, just a release of anger. He was always angry whenever he thought about what had happened and how little the World Government had suffered as a result, “Yeah. I’m here. I’m here because I smuggled myself out of the country beneath a pile of dead and dying bodies. I hid after I came across my parents shot to death in my father’s office, after I watched the hospital burn to the ground with my sister still inside.”

And that was the point at which it all became too much for Bepo and his silent tears turned into sobs. Embarrassed at the loud wails escaping him, the mink threw his paws over his face and sank down onto the floor, doing his best to hide and muffle the sound all at once. How awful was it that Law had lost his whole family, all at once, in such a horrible way, and on top of that he’d seen it happen. Bepo couldn’t even imagine. 

At a loss for how to help the mink, Shachi just sighed softly and focused on stroking his fur, hoping the repetitive motion would calm him. But his gaze was back to Law now, steady as he watched his captain and listened to Penguin’s response, “... Then what, Captain?” They’d all known he was strong but the reality of his story was nothing any of them could have ever guessed at. For now, all they could do was listen. 

Strangely enough, he wasn’t annoyed at Bepo’s reaction. It didn’t feel like pity coming from him. Law knew that Bepo cared about him, that he was sensitive to the difficulties Law had faced that he knew about. He almost appreciated that the mink was able to express such grief when Law himself felt incapable, “...You know the rest. I went to Spider Miles. I knew I’d die soon, thanks to the Amber Lead. That was what Cora-san was trying to find a cure for in those six months. Why he sacrificed so much to get me my fruit. It’s the only thing that could heal me.”

And that’s why he wanted to destroy DonQuixote Doflamingo. They’d already know about Cora-san’s death, of course, but to know the full truth of what the man had been trying to save him from… that was a weight none of them had any idea how to bear. The fact that DonQuixote Rocinante figured it out how to bear it and how to handle it, that was something worth monumental respect. Nodding a little, Penguin finally eased himself out of his corner, allowing his posture to relax, “And then you found us.”

Law looked up and met Penguin’s gaze for the first time since he’d started speaking and nodded, “Yes. Then I found you.” The rest of the story he could explain, if need be, but that seemed to be a moot point. They didn’t need him to say that he pushed them away because of all the loss he’d suffered; Law recognized the understanding in their expressions, “And the other night I dreamed I killed you with my bare hands. You three, the rest of the crew… the people I cared about were my one hundred hearts.”

Finally, Penguin was ready to let some of their usual humor break through, “Do you even know one hundred people to care about?” It was true, they could read at least the basics into Law’s behavior, understand him and what he did more succinctly now. Though they would all still benefit from hearing it laid out plainly, they didn’t have to go through it all right now. At least, not without some levity in between the horror.

There was only a brief pause before Law grinned, shaking his head as though he could shake off the shadows that clung to him. “I cared about some more than others,” he agreed with a little shrug, “I have dreams like that all the time. I… was trying to avoid getting close enough to anyone to be that affected by their deaths, but you’re all so persistent.”

True, and Penguin would accept the veiled compliment, but he still had other questions, “... Doesn’t explain where you off and vanished to, Captain.” Because at the end of it, historical trauma explained or not, the why of it all was only half the story. The _where_ mattered too. “And…” somewhat uncomfortable with making this point, as it felt a little too much like an order, Penguin hesitated a bit before carrying on, “you can’t do that to us, anyway. Without any information. It makes us worry.”

This was likely to incur Penguin’s ire once more, but they did all deserve the truth. “I went to see Kid,” he gave the easy answer first, but before they could even register his words enough to react Law continued, “because the last night he spent with me... He has his own demons, and when we left suddenly… it was shit timing. It was shit in general, but especially the timing. He thought that I was using him, but I was just…” Trailing off, Law shrugged slightly. They knew what he was doing. They’d seen his responses to nightmares often enough.

Well… Law was right. Penguin wasn’t pleased with that answer, “You left us… in the middle of the night, right after you’d had what was basically a psychotic break, to go meet up with your, your… what? What even is he, Captain, that deserting us for him sounded like a good decision to you?” He wasn’t yelling, not quite, but the edge was back in his tone. 

“I didn’t desert you. I had Jean Bart take me because he was awake and because he could tell you I was okay,” Law knew that wasn’t entirely fair, but he didn’t like the implication that he’d done something that was unacceptable. Again, it came down to timing; disappearing to Kid’s island on a normal day wouldn’t have earned him a second glance, “And he is to me what Ikkaku is to you, Penguin. If I hadn’t gone back when I did, there would be no making it right between us.” Law took a moment to let that sink in, knowing it said the most in the fewest words. “I am sorry that I made you worry. I know that was unfair.”

At that Penguin’s hands flexed and his face screwed up, his expression flickering from one emotion to the next so quickly it was as though he couldn’t decide how he was actually feeling. While it took a few minutes, the sincerity of the apology finally filtered its way through his mind and gave him something to hold on to. Straightening up he just nodded a little, turning back toward Shachi and Bepo as the leader of their little group, “Come on, Bep. It’s okay. No tears.”

Law couldn’t help but feel like he’d gotten off somewhat too easily, but he’d take what he could get. These emotional conversations were taking a toll on him. “...Come here, Bepo,” Law requested softly as he stood. He never initiated any contact between them but he was trying to be better about what his crew needed. He knew how much it would mean if he was the one consoling the mink and though he didn’t anticipate he’d be any good at it, Law was determined to try.

Law’s words came across so unexpectedly that when Bepo raised his face, it was to blink away tears as he warbled out a confused, “What?” But with a few more moments for the request to sink in - and Shachi’s encouraging hands - Bepo shakily rose to his feet and approached Law with some trepidation, as though he wasn’t sure what was about to happen.

Stiffly, awkwardly, Law raised his arms as Bepo approached. He felt like a damn fool, but how many times had he been swept up into one of the mink’s hugs? It was how he showed affection in the times he felt like he could get away with it, and if Law meant what he said about wanting to deserve their loyalty he should return the affection no matter how foreign it felt to him.

The look of sheer surprise on Bepo’s face was matched only by the confusion that warred with it for space. The way Law was standing it looked like he was being offered a hug, but this was their Captain he was talking about… “A-are you going to hug me?” the question came out with such a warble and so hopeful it hurt, Bepo’s eyes uncertain.

Law felt his face scrunch in annoyance, though it was more at how uncomfortable he felt standing with his arms raised like an idiot than anything else. “I will if you come over here,” he replied impatiently, certain that at least Shachi was about to burst into laughter at the sight of him.

“Oh. Okay,” permission granted, that was all Bepo needed. He stepped into the - admittedly small - circle of Law’s arms and wrapped his own around the captain’s slender back. Immediately, Bepo felt better, burying his face in the crook of Law’s neck as his tears slowed and he found breathing easier again. From there it was easy to whisper the words he needed Law to hear, _I love you, I’m sorry,_ and _thank you for telling us_ sprinkled in between soft intakes of air. 

Hugging would probably always be awkward for Law, though having a face full of fur probably had something to do with it. At least Bepo wasn’t crying anymore. And he was soft, that was kind of nice. In the end, it was proof that he meant what he said; that he was trying. He wanted to call these three his friends without it being so one-sided. Because it was nice, having friends again.

Slowly but surely the group came together, Shachi finding peace with it and Penguin eventually shedding his anger. They spent the next hour or so together in that room, though this time they shared space on Law’s bed and his desk chair as he continued to answer the questions they came up with along the way. Some were harder than others, but his friends were always careful to try to ask in the gentlest way possible and quickly change gears if they realized something was too raw to talk through in detail. It was catharsis for all of them, a release of pressure they hadn’t really known they were holding. 

By the end of the night, the four of them were teasing each other and laughing again. After years of convincing himself it was better to be alone, Law could admit to himself that this was preferable to his forced solitude. He cared about them all this time anyway; he might as well let himself enjoy it.

So the next morning dawned bright for both Law and Kid, surrounded by the people they loved. It was the drive to hold on to that feeling, to make it grow stronger, that found Kid rolling over in bed before his eyes had even fully opened, fumbling for the new snail hidden away in his nightstand as quietly as possible. 

He couldn’t wait to see the looks on their faces when Yara and Law met, so he wanted to make it happen sooner rather than later. Finally finding the transponder snail, Kid eased it out of the drawer and dialed Law’s number by heart, trying to keep as quiet as he could; it would be better, more of a surprise, if he could avoid waking Yara or Killer while he made this call. 

The sound of the snail shocked Law into alertness. He’d fallen asleep last night without intending to, something that never happened considering it was always a struggle to so much as nap. Bepo snorted loudly in his sleep but didn’t rouse and Shachi only woke up enough to reach the snail and pass it over to Law before drifting back to sleep. Penguin didn’t make a sound and Law found himself somewhat jealous of how easily sleep came to the rest of his crew. Once he’d been handed the snail he pushed himself up on his elbow and answered the call, keeping his voice low, “Hello.”

“Hey,” Kid’s voice was low, heavy with sleep, and warm as the midday sun, “come around, soon as you can.” He was too tired to be much more verbal than that, but Kid was certain he’d gotten his point across. He wanted Law here, now. And he was going to have to get a bigger bed, he decided. He’d convince Killer sharing the space with Law was fine when the time came. 

Looking out over the three sleeping forms curled up on various surfaces in his room, Law knew he couldn’t go right away. As much as he wanted to see Kid, he owed it to his crew not to run off while they were sleeping a second time, “I can make it over there this afternoon. I owe my crew a normal breakfast at least.”

The responding sigh was put out, but dramatic enough that Law could tell Kid was playing at it at least a little. Afternoon wasn’t what he was hoping for and he’d argue a bit, since Law gave him the loophole to do so, “Breakfast’s over by like… ten. Y’should be here before noon.” He wouldn’t push beyond that, since he knew how important the relationship between captain and crew was, but he was so eager for his plans to come to life. 

Feeling himself smile, Law pulled the receiver closer to him so he could talk quieter, not wanting to wake the others or be overheard, “Miss me that much? You just saw me yesterday.” He wasn’t planning on making any promises; he’d get to Kid’s island eventually, as soon as he could go without making his crew feel snubbed. 

While he didn’t want to give away the big reveal, Kid wasn’t above a little incentive to encourage Law to move faster, “Got somethin’ t’show you.” Kid was happy, a million times happier this morning than he was the one before and he just wanted to keep feeling that way. 

“Oh really?” Law let his voice drop, putting as much innuendo into those two words as he could. He wasn’t as crude as he normally would be, given the fact that he wasn’t really sure who was fully asleep and who wasn’t. But he was fairly certain Kid would get the point anyway.

The responding laugh was warm and lazy, Kid’s eyes drifting shut as he responded, “Y’already seen that.” At the sound of Yara starting to stir behind him the redhead went still, taking a few deep breaths and letting silence fill the room until she settled. If she woke up and he was still using the transponder snail, there would be absolutely no surprise left to give Law when he arrived, so Kid decided this was probably the best time to end the call, “Just gimme a heads up when you’re comin’, got it?”

“Yeah, I remember the rules. I’ll see you later,” disconnecting the line, Law rolled onto his back and looked up at the ceiling. It was amazing how much could change in 24 hours. He felt more like himself now but also well rested and somehow happy in spite of everything that had happened. Law knew it would end soon, considering how close he was to pursuing Doflamingo directly, but at least now the separation would happen on the best terms possible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are so sorry for missing last week, everyone! We had a family emergency come up that interrupted our usual schedule. But! We are back, at least for this week. Next weekend and the weekend after we will be camping/my parents will be visiting, so the likelihood of us having a chapter up are slim to none, unfortunately, but we will be back the week after that with our regularly scheduled postings! 
> 
> We appreciate and love you all, like always, and hope this chapter was worth the wait!


	31. *Déjà Vu

As it turned out, Kid’s morning was hectic. Though he had all the normal activities to contend with - breakfast, shower, orders for the day - the hardest part of it all had been keeping Yara away from the transponder snail she was certain he had hidden somewhere. Though she didn’t know Law’s number, that wouldn’t stop her from trying and Kid didn’t need her calling some rando at nine in the morning to say hi. 

Promising her that he’d already reached out to Law and been assured the other man would come by at some point that day, Kid then spent the rest of his morning trying to distract her. Not easy, considering she had a stubborn, one track mind when she wanted to, but he did his best. At least the card game he’d started with the two of them, Killer, Grudge, and Hex had captured her attention for about forty five minutes, especially when she started winning. 

It was late morning that he turned his attention to the crew at large, somewhat belatedly realizing he should let them in on this whole thing. They’d been as careful as he was to hide her, it seemed rude to change everything without at least notifying them first. Patting Yara on the head he straightened, stretching out his back before calling out to the room at large, “Oy, fellas, listen up.”

Most of the crew just yelled back, some raising their glasses in acknowledgement of their captain’s words, some banging a fist on the table, but all of them loudly responded to Kid in the strange call and response fashion they’d become used to. In spite of the influx of noise, though, they all quieted down at the same time, eagerly awaiting the announcement.

Thinking through what he wanted to say, Kid realized it wasn’t an order he wanted to give. No. If he was going to make this decision unilaterally, he wouldn’t have even called their attention to it. What he wanted to know was that they were on board too, because they protected Yara with all their might as much as he did, “Had a plan for today, but I wanted yer take on it first.” Luckily, he’d hid a lot of his turmoil with Law from them, so they were less likely to give push back than Killer had been.

As before, the entire crew made some sort of noise to indicate they were listening, that they were eager to put forth their opinions. While not all of them were from the South Blue where everything was loud, they had all picked up on Kid’s methods of communication. The ruckus would die down when there was conversation to be had. 

Admitting that he was ready for Yara to meet Law really meant that he had to admit how entwined he and the other captain really were first. So he decided to start with that, filling them in on the details without a shred of embarrassment, “So Trafalgar and I are a thing now. Like… officially, or permanently, or... whatever.” While he wasn’t sure exactly what to call it, he hoped the sentiment was clear enough. “And that means I want him t’meet Yara, but I ain’t gonna make that call on my own.”

The rest of Kid’s words were nearly drowned out by the roar of approval from the crowd. Ever since The Ruckus had happened, most of the crew had come to accept the Heart Pirates as allies since it was clear they weren’t going anywhere. There were no hard feelings for the other captain, either; other than Killer, most of their trepidation had been eased that night several months ago.

“‘Bout time if y’ask me, Cap! It’ll be easier when he comes to visit so we don’t have to hide the little brat,” Hex replied with a big grin and a wink in Yara’s direction. Jinx, Grudge and Bolt laughed, nodding in agreement.

“Does this mean we’re in a formal alliance now, Boss?” Wire asked, more curious about the logistics of how the two crews would come together, if that was their intention. He was always one of the more thoughtful ones, paying close attention to how everything would affect their long game. 

Kid saw the middle finger Yara gave his crew members and immediately filled the air with his laughter; he lived for the accidental reminders that she was his blood. Leaving her to settle her own battles, he turned his attention back toward the crew and tackling the questions that came his way, “Not yet, Wy. It means we’re like… gross and in love and shit, but I don’t know if our plans line up yet.”

Wire snorted at Kid’s phrasing, but felt himself smile. “Yeah, okay, but formal or not I know you Boss. You’ll help him if y’can, so we should be prepared either way,” he knew that even if his captain was gross and in love, he was still ambitious. They wouldn’t slow down in their goals, and if their plans and the plans of the Heart Pirates didn’t at least line up a little bit, they wouldn’t have gotten here in the first place.

“If it makes sense for us,” in this, Kid was certain. He wasn’t going to leave his crew in the dust for Law, no matter what. They’d been with him longer and deserved better than that and it was his job to make sure whatever he did, it furthered all their goals, “I know his big picture. Trying t’see if and where I fit in that, same as he’s doing with me.”

Shrugging, Wire retreated back into his drink, letting his captain finish his announcement. No one else spoke up or disagreed in the next few moments and as the room ebbed into silence it became clear no one was going to. Kid’s crew was, if anything, trusting. While they might wonder about their captain’s decisions from time to time, they never questioned whether or not what Kid was doing was in the best interest of those who lived and worked aboard the Black Rose. 

Looking out over his assembled men and finding no trace of disagreement, Kid allowed himself a soft smile after a few minutes, “Yer all fuckin’ good t’me, y’know?” He needed to do something to reward them, something to say thanks, for the fact that they tied their lives up with his and never once questioned his decisions. To be fair, that’s what Killer was for, but still, “Let’s get trashed tonight and throw down some, yeah?”

The uproar that Kid got as a reply was easily twice as loud as any of their previous shouting had been. None of them really felt put upon in accepting Trafalgar’s continued presence among them - if anything, not having to hide Yara would make their lives easier. But they appreciated being included in the parts of Kid’s life that would affect them and no one was about to turn down a reason to party.

Satisfied with that, Kid reclaimed his seat between Yara and Hex and turned his attention back to the card game, hoping it would distract the both of them until Law arrived. He wasn’t nervous, except that he was, even though he kept telling himself that there was nothing to be nervous about. That was how nerves worked, he supposed.

On the Polar Tang, things were much quieter. Penguin, Shachi and Bepo roused shortly after Law’s phone call, apparently pulled from deeper sleep by the sound. They headed to breakfast together before going their separate ways, each feeling better after their conversation and night’s rest. Law was sure to tell them that he planned on spending at least part of the day with Kid and even took a baby transponder snail in case anyone wanted to check in on him. Judging by how relieved they looked just to have the option to call made it clear that was the right move.

Though the trip across the channel was relatively short, Law hated that he either had to rely on one of his crew to get him most of the way there or move the entire Polar Tang. He was hoping Kid would eventually let him just dock off the coast of his smaller island so it wouldn’t be such a chore making his way over there. Especially considering he’d be leaving soon…

When Law picked up his baby transponder snail and dialed Kid halfway across the channel, the redhead managed to answer before it barely made it through two rings. He was more grateful than he thought he’d be that, one, Killer made them keep a few backup snails around and, two, he’d remembered to give Law his new number the day before. It was like a calming breath of air, to hear him on the other end of the line, “Hey.”

“Hey,” Law replied casually, watching the waves wash up on the stretch of beach he and Kid had met on the day before. “I’m looking at your island. It’s in range of my Room, so I’m calling for permission to board, Captain,” he teased, the corners of his lips pulled up into the ghost of a smile.

The answering laugh was warm and content with it, “Yeah, come on. And hurry up, will ya? We’re sick of waiting.” That said, Kid looked across the room to his little sister, completely enamored with how excited and happy she was at what was about to happen. He wanted to give her all the joy in the world. 

“We?” Law asked, flaring his power out to encompass himself and a safe stretch of beach. “Tell Killer I miss him too,” he replied with a laugh before trading places with a crab he could sense at the edge of his Room. Hopefully Jean Bart wouldn’t mind having company for the ride back. “Well, I’m on the beach. Am I allowed to see myself in?”

“Oh yeah, he’ll be thrilled to hear it,” Kid’s sardonic response came easy and light, just as playful as Law. Carrying on in that vein, Kid’s grin grew wicked, “Told the crew today that you’re mine now. Got a standing ovation.” Cradling the headset to his ear, Kid eased himself down into the nearest seat, letting his weight come to rest on the sturdy wood. He finished talking quickly, anticipating - and rather hoping for - a huffy response from Law, “I’ll meet you in the cave entrance.”

Far from being huffy, Law simply chuckled. “I don’t belong to anyone. See you at the cave.” He ended the call then, tucking the baby transponder snail into his jacket before sliding his hands into his pockets and heading down the familiar path through the woods. His sharp memory kept him out of the traps Kid’s crew had set, deftly maneuvering through the dense foliage until he emerged at the cave entrance almost twenty minutes later.

As promised, Kid was waiting, shirtless and casually leaning against the wall with one foot propped up behind him. Seeing Law approach he shifted, popping himself upright and grinning as he headed toward Law, “Told you I wasn’t gonna wait until afternoon.” But he was less concerned with the words than he was touching Law, pulling the other man to him with arms around his waist and pressing them in close together as he started to kiss along Law’s jaw. 

Law felt himself perk up upon seeing Kid waiting for him, closing the distance between them and easily allowing the redhead to pull him closer. “You were gonna wait as long as it took me to get here,” he countered, tilting his head to the side to allow Kid the access he clearly wanted.

Huffing out his disagreement, Kid trailed his kisses up until they reached Law’s ear and he could bite playfully at his lobe. But, he reminded himself firmly, he had other plans and getting Law all riled up right now wasn’t going to help anything, so he corralled himself into only doing that twice before he pulled back enough to look Law in the face, intertwining their fingers, “Come on.”

It took more willpower than he’d like to admit to keep from pouting when Kid pulled away. They hadn’t had as much contact as he would have liked yesterday and Law found himself longing for it. So this was what love reduced him to; pining for the physical affection he’d always shunned. How embarrassing, “Should I close my eyes?”

Chuckling at that, Kid shot him back a teasing grin over his shoulder as they entered the main cavern to the sound of clamor and chatter, half the crew acknowledging Law’s presence with a hearty shout of “The Mistress Doctor” and the rest laughing along. Kid wouldn’t pretend he didn’t enjoy the nickname. 

Pausing, Law curtsied dramatically before rising up with a middle finger directed at the crowd at large, easily falling back into step with Kid. He didn’t mind the teasing and appreciated being among a group of people who were usually as irreverent as he was. It was becoming easy to interact with Kid’s crew, almost comfortable.

Seeing Law flow so flawlessly, so seamlessly with his crew just endeared Kid to him more. Law had gotten along with all - okay, most - of his family just fine so far and he would get along with Killer once the two men found peace. But this wasn’t what he’d brought Law here for and so Kid navigated them through the room deftly, pulling Law along until they’d moved far enough down a branching corridor that they could speak without yelling. Pausing momentarily, Kid turned back to Law, mischievous joy lighting his eyes, “Been wantin’ this for a long time.”

“I hope you aren’t about to propose to me or something like that,” Law replied, though the words were lighthearted rather than filled with trepidation. There wasn’t anything he could think of that Kid would want to show him that he hadn’t seen before, but he also couldn’t think of a time that Kid had been predictable, so who knew what it was he had waiting?

The guffaw that got from Kid was almost worth laughing at in its own right, “Naw.” Standing outside the entrance to his bedchamber, Kid felt his heart suddenly start to beat harder in his chest. This was Yara he was talking about, the whole reason he lived and breathed and fought so hard. Yara he was about to share with the man who loved him. The man he loved? The man he loved. This was a big moment for him, but he hadn’t truly realized how big until he was standing right here. 

As the pause drew on longer, Law couldn’t help but feel awkward. What could possibly be such a big deal? Unless this was Kid’s way of messing with him and he’d just constructed some piece of sex furniture or something like that. The idea was strangely romantic to him, and though Law was fairly certain it was just his fantasy running away with him, he found himself hoping he was close to right.

If he listened closely enough, Kid swore he could hear the buzzing of Yara’s excitement just around the corner of the nook. If he made her wait much longer, she’d take matters into her own hands. Nothing for it but to just dive in, now. “Okay, Sprout.” Heavens above, she’d manage to throw herself in Law’s direction without hurting either one of them. 

The sound _oh_ barely made it out of Kid’s mouth before a streak of amber came tearing around the corner. As Yara basically threw herself into the hallway she was beaming from ear to ear, taking a few bounding leaps before she basically threw herself into position, coming to rest on the balls of her feet directly in front of Law, her eyes wide with excitement, “Boyfriend Law, hi, I’m Yara!”

The sudden movement around the corner would have made Law jump had he not trained himself not to have that sort of startled reaction. He trusted Kid and was relatively sure he was safe so he didn’t do anything drastic, which was fortunate when he had enough time to process what it was he was seeing. 

Yara was a name immediately familiar to him and for a second it seemed like time slowed. Kid’s younger sister had his same crooked smile, hair more orange than red in neat braids on either side of her face. It was easy enough to see the resemblance between them, and the memory of being told he and his sister would look more alike if he’d just smile more sprang from his mind unbidden. 

Realizing it’d been perhaps an uncomfortable amount of time, Law breathed out slowly and crouched down so he wasn’t towering above her, “...Hi, Yara.”

“Hi!” her response was as bright as her smile, the joy in her gaze radiating out without restraint. Completely unabashed she reached out then, touching his hair before pursing her lips and taking his chin between tiny fingers, moving his head side to side so she could study his face, “You look different close up!”

For his part, Kid stood to the side of them thrumming with anxious tension in his belly. Law had looked startled and though Kid had seen him like that before, it usually hadn’t been because wonderful things were happening. Was this a mistake? Introducing them, introducing them like this? Did he just fuck things up somehow? Fuck. What was Law thinking? He didn’t want to hurt Yara. Swallowing hard, Kid clenched his hands to hold himself still and out of the conversation, at least for now.

Though there were obvious lines of tension in his shoulders, Law allowed the contact. Though he didn’t particularly like being touched by strangers, he did appreciate how bold she was. Another common thread between her and Kid. “Do I?” he asked softly, not quite sure how to have a surprise conversation with a child.

Nodding resolutely, Yara let go of him with an officious little flick of her fingers after she was satisfied with the study. She’d been waiting to meet Law for ages, to talk to him and look at him up close and make sure he was okay for her big brother. But all of that was best done with something to occupy their hands too, so it was without hesitation that she turned around and grabbed his hand on the pivot, “Come on! You’re gonna talk to me and I’m gonna paint your nails.”

Law stood slightly hunched so he didn’t yank his hand away from Yara’s as he followed behind her. Befuddled, he lifted his head to Kid, eyebrows bunched together with an expression that telegraphed strong _what the fuck_ vibes she couldn’t see. He didn’t like having conversations with adults he knew, let alone children he didn’t, but given how amped up Kid had been for this meeting he knew it was important. Law tried to remember what it was like to be a big brother, “Any color except pink.”

Holding his hand up somewhat helplessly, Kid could only find it in himself to whisper back, “She does mine too,” as he fell into step behind them. Though he could read the tension in the air, Law’s actual response to his sister helped ease a few of his nerves. First verbal exchange had gone over fairly well, that was a good start. 

Holding her head high, the pride in Yara’s tone couldn’t be missed, “I have every color. You can pick one.” Pulling him into her little nook, she promptly sat Law down at her table and shoved Kid firmly onto her bed before climbing up into her own chair and gesturing to her row of polishes, “Go on! But, not this one.” Tapping a certain shade of red, the bottle half empty, Yara shook her head, “That’s Kid’s favorite.”

As they sat down, Law briefly glanced at the row of polish before watching the girl across from him as she went about settling in. The confidence in her actions spoke to the fact that this was something she was used to, which could only mean she was just as bossy with her brother and that he let her get away with it. That was familiar to him, too; he had been stubborn about studying as a child but Lamy always got what she wanted in the end. 

Once Yara sat down and gave him his directive, he gave the bottles of polish more scrutiny than he had before. Yellow and black always stood out to him and now was no different, though he wasn’t sure how to choose between them. All black was boring, all yellow too bright, “...have you ever done two colors at once?”

“Yeah!” Nodding excitedly, Yara started to hold up some of her previous color pairings, showing examples as she spoke, “I can do one hand one color and the other the other color, or I can do back and forth nails, or I can do all one color with the tips the other color, or if you’re reaaaaaally patient, I can do a pattern with both, I have tape!” Looking up into Law’s gaze, Yara finally took a breath after all of that as she waited, with some impatience of her own, for his response.”

The idea of having his nails painted had occurred to him before; Law had quite liked the aesthetic on Kid. And having something to do while they talked seemed somehow easier to swallow than doing nothing else. “Show me what patterns you can do with yellow and black,” he replied before spreading his hands out on the wood between them.

That tickled Yara’s fancy - she liked pattern work and she liked striking color combinations, “Good choice!” Fishing through her polish, she pulled out a yellow that matched Law’s shirt and her best black, setting them both within reach. But before she uncapped either she turned her attention to Law’s hand, grabbing one and studying the nails for a second before she shook her head, “You pick your nails!” Disappointment at that fact clear in her tone, she started plucking an assortment of little metal tools from her basket and went to work on Law’s hands with a will, clipping and filing and smoothing with focused intent. Only once she was settled did she speak again, but the words were as forceful as everything else had been, “Kid says you’re his boyfriend now.”

The disappointment in her tone was almost as startling as her sudden presence and Law sat up a little straighter in response, eyes darting to Kid briefly before settling back on the girl sitting across from him. “I suppose so,” he agreed. Must be a nervous habit; he couldn’t remember consciously picking at his nails. Regardless, Yara seemed determined to erase whatever evidence there was that he apparently had poor nail hygiene and Law relaxed slightly as she continued working. When she finally spoke again, Law found himself glancing over at Kid once more. “That’s not my favorite term, but yes. That’s true.”

Shrugging nervously, unable to settle the buzzing sensation in the pit of his stomach, Kid responded somewhat helplessly, “Dunno what else to call it…” But Yara paid him no mind, tongue poking out from between her lips as she carefully shaped Law’s nails into smooth arches. She’d been experimenting with sharp points on Kid, more like little daggers, but that was a bit much for someone new to it. 

Continuing to work through his fingers, Yara carried on the conversation as she spoke, clearly a pro at splitting her attention like this, “Okay. Good. But if you ever stop because you were a jerk, I’m gonna be mad.” As important as it was to Kid to protect his little sister, she felt the same way about caring for her big brother. The flush that rose to Kid’s face at that statement, though, was certainly bright enough to be noticed. 

Law couldn’t help the way his lips quirked up at the way Kid blushed. He hadn’t seen him make that particular expression before. It was kind of cute, actually. He wondered if Lamy would be telling Kid the same thing with the same youthful confidence, but realized belatedly if she could she wouldn’t be Yara’s age. She’d be grown - Kid’s age - and he cut off that train of thought before it could become too painful. “Can’t have that,” Law replied, swallowing around the sudden heaviness in his throat.

“Exactly!” Lifting her head up to look Law sternly in the eyes, Yara watched him with her own narrowed just for a moment to make sure her point sank in with as much menace as she could muster, “’Cause you won’t like me when I’m mad!” Like a flash her expression changed then, the warm grin from earlier coming back over her face, “But you’re here and I get to meet you finally! I’ve wanted to forever and ever but Kid made me wait soooooooooo long I even had to miss the party, that wasn’t fair! Tell me about you! I’m nine. I am gonna grow up and be co-captain of the Black Rose someday! And…” 

Trailing off, Yara made a funny face, like she had so many facts and details and _things_ to tell Law she couldn’t settle on one in particular. Recognizing this, Kid prompted her with a few soft words, encouraging her to introduce herself with her full name, as he thought there might be something about it that would interest Law. And so she ended her little spiel with a nod of certainty and a proud edge to her tone, “Oh! I’m Eustass D. Yara. Like Kid, but he doesn’t have a D.”

Law had to consciously keep his face neutral as Yara launched into her excited speech. It wasn’t that he was disparaging, it was just difficult to keep up with her youthful exuberance. Her ending statement, however, made him perk up. The D. tended to run in families, so his sudden attention was partly due to the fact that Yara had it and Kid didn’t and partly at the revelation that she had it in her name at all. There was a brief moment where he said nothing, waiting to make sure she wasn’t going to launch into another story before Law’s words finally found him, “...Did Kid tell you I have a ‘D.’ in my name too?”

Her eyes widening, the shocked (and offended) gasp that Yara drew in made the answer to that clear before she even verbalized it. Turning a very accusatory glare on her brother, the sharp edge of her “No!” echoed through the room before she flounced back to Law. Kid would explain, later, that sometimes there were some secrets you didn’t get to share, but now wasn’t the time for that. As Yara’s attention switched back to Law, Kid’s shoulders relaxed at hearing her next question, “You do!? I’ve never met another one, Kid said not a lot of people have it, but also that I can’t tell anybody and it was weird he said I could tell you, but I guess that’s why, but then how come you have it and I have it but not him?” 

“I don’t know why he doesn’t have it. It usually runs in families,” Law found himself cutting his words off abruptly, having almost mentioned both he and his sister had the D. in their names. Now wasn’t the best time to bring up Lamy, considering how close to the surface his feelings about her were given the surprise meeting with Yara. 

Wiggling her lips back and forth in annoyance at that fact, Yara pouted for a minute before returning her focus to Law’s nails, almost finished with the manicure portion and ready to move on to polish. She didn’t like the thought that she had anything different from her brother; she wanted to be his carbon copy, as much as she could. So when she muttered under her breath, yet still loud enough for them to hear, her words didn’t come as a surprise, “Doesn’t matter. Kid’s amazing without it.”

It was kind of sweet to see the depth of the connection between Yara and Kid in only the few minutes they’d been interacting. He must be close to her, to be this protective. It was impossible not to draw parallels, to wonder at how the relationship between himself and Lamy would be if she had survived with him. How different he might be with his kindhearted sister to smooth out his sharp edges. There was a flare of jealousy, but with all the self-reflecting he’d been doing lately Law realized that was unfair. Changing the subject he nodded down at his hands, “What pattern are you going to do?”

That inquiry Yara liked; she could talk about her craft for ages, “Stripes! You’ll see, it’s so cool! What color do you want on bottom?” Setting aside her implements, Yara picked up a bottle of something clear and started applying it with deft little strokes to Law’s left hand as she waited for a response. Well, that had been the plan, anyway. With a little yip she looked over at Kid, her eyes wide and hopeful and as sweet as she could muster, trying to make up for the way she’d glared at him just moments before, “... Will you cut my tape, Kid?”

A little unsure of how it could matter which color was on the bottom, Law murmured a somewhat bewildered, “Yellow?” in response. He watched as the conversation turned to Kid and was amused to see how easily he obeyed her request. It was a simple thing, but Law could easily see how completely Kid was wound around Yara’s finger. 

As Kid dutifully sat on the edge of the bed and cut little strips of tape from a larger roll, Yara nodded and grabbed her yellow bottle once she finished with the base coat, starting to smooth the color over each of Law’s nails completely. Now that she was fully settled into her rhythm she began questioning Law again, at a rapid fire pace, “Kid said you have a Devil Fruit. And that your power is weird. What’s your power? How’s it work? What do you do? What’s your fruit called? I don’t have one, I want one, but Kid said I have to wait a little while, but I don’t get why!”

It took a moment for Law to catch up with her rapid fire questions. It was easy enough to talk about his power; it wasn’t a sore subject and it was easy to explain, especially to someone he didn’t mind knowing the extent of it, “It’s called the Ope Ope Fruit. It allows me to make a dome around me and I can control anything within it. I’m a doctor, so it’s helpful for surgeries when organs get in the way.” Belatedly, Law remembered he was talking to a child and he frowned slightly, waiting to see if his description bothered her at all. He remembered how squeamish Baby 5 used to be and couldn’t know for sure Yara wouldn’t be the same.

Though Yara’s attention had certainly been caught, it wasn’t enough to pull her gaze from her focus fastidiously coloring each of Law’s nails a vivid yellow. But her words made it clear enough she was invested, “Like… in the way how?” The curiosity radiating from her was obvious, though so too was her dedication to her craft. 

“Some organs are on top of other ones that might get injured. A normal doctor would have to operate around them, but I can just take them out. My power lets them act like they’re still connected to the body,” Law was happy to explain and grateful that he hadn’t upset her somehow. She was Kid’s sister, though, so he wasn’t exactly surprised.

“Whoa!” that brought her gaze up again, though she was careful to pause to avoid making a mess. Curiosity burning in her eyes, Yara watched Law like a hawk, intent on his words, “You can just pull stuff inside on the outside? Like… anything? I wanna see, can I see?” Yara had seen her share of eviscerated or otherwise injured humans, as much as Kid had tried to hide the sight from her, and her fascination with them was burning full force.

Law was always happy to show off his power, especially if it could potentially make someone uncomfortable. He didn’t really feel that desire with Yara, but Kid was in the room and the opportunity to fuck with him was really too good to pass up, “Sure. Should I wait until you’re done, though?”

Narrowing her eyes at that very logical question, Yara pursed his lips and warred with herself internally before she answered in the affirmative. This was a chance to show somebody knew how good she was and she didn’t want to waste the opportunity with sloppy work. Biting her tongue between her front teeth, Yara returned to work, finishing off Law’s nails with their first coat of yellow, “They have to dry first.” That said she looked back up at Law, lacing her fingers together and setting them in front of her primly, “Tell me about you.”

Her posture and tone made Law feel a little like he was at a job interview and he felt himself smile a little, “That’s a broad question. What do you want to know?” These were the kinds of conversations he wasn’t quite as good at; what did people care about that he was willing to share, anyway?

Well, if he was going to give her an opening… Drawing herself upwards, Yara put on her best Killer, voice as stern and prim as she could make it, parroting something she’d heard in a port months ago, “What are your intentions with my brother?” It sounded so ridiculously formal, coming from the wild little child, but she spoke with complete earnestness. 

Law didn’t bother trying to hold back the snort of amusement that escaped him. This nine year old girl was asking him questions like he was looking for Kid’s hand in marriage or something, “I don’t know if I have intentions, really. I… enjoy the time we spend together. I’d like to keep seeing him and enjoying his company.” 

The soft sound that Kid made was likely lost to the excited din of his sister, but he felt a smile touch his lips anyway. It wasn’t very elegant, Law’s response, but neither were either of them, so it fit. And, somewhat perfectly, it summed up Kid’s own feelings as well. He just… wanted to be in Law’s presence. Talk to him, share space with him, exist with him, whatever that looked like. 

After scrutinizing Law - and his answer - for a long moment, Yara nodded officiously and sat back in her chair, having decided to accept that response, “Okay. There’s nobody else that’s better to spend time with!” Having agreed with Yara’s assessment of her brother probably did Law a lot of good. Not that it would stop her from asking questions, “Why does your ship sink?”

Rolling his eyes slightly, Law cast a somewhat withering glance in Kid’s direction; he did not feel like having this conversation yet again. “It doesn’t sink. It submerges. It’s faster underwater than your brother’s ship because it’s a submarine. I don’t rely on currents and wind to get around,” he explained patiently.

Frowning at him, the look on Yara’s face made it clear she was offended, “I know that!” Killer had explained to her the reasoning behind Law’s odd little boat and it had piqued her interest - she was much like her brother in that way. She wanted to understand more about it, from the source itself, so she rephrased her question in an effort to get her actual point across, “ _How_ does it sink!?” The fact that Kid’s look of offense at Law’s withering glance exactly mirrored his sister’s was just further proof of their blood bond. 

“If that’s what you meant, that’s what you should have said,” Law teased lightly with a little smile, hoping that she wouldn’t take it the wrong way. “There are tanks on the submarine that fill with air when I want it to float. When I want it to sink, I fill the tanks with water so the submarine gets too heavy to float, so it sinks.”

“Is what I said,” she responded stubbornly, though quickly enough her protests died as she watched Law in wonder. She wanted to see these tanks, his submarine, explore the whole thing, and she told him as much. The next ten minutes passed in a flurry of questions and answers, all specific to the Polar Tang and how it functions, followed with a prompt demand/request to get to board and look at it herself. Yara was clearly enamored with the inner workings of the yellow submarine and fascinated by the very concept of a boat that was _meant_ to sink.

Yara’s stubbornness and demand for knowledge further cemented her similarity to her brother. Law couldn’t help but feel endeared to her, given the similarities and the fact that she was so clearly important to Kid, who was important to him. He was happy to answer questions about the Polar Tang; it was an easy conversation and he remembered how fascinated Kid had been as well. Kid, who was mechanically-minded, must have shared at least some of that interest with his sister. 

Only once she’d finally wheedled out an agreement to let her see the submarine in person within the next three days from both Law and her brother did Yara let her attention divert, pulling Law’s hands back into her working space and testing them for dryness. Happy enough with the result of tapping two of his nails together - nothing smudged - she splayed his fingers out and reached for the tape strips Kid had so diligently lined up along the table’s edge for her, “Lots of stripes or no?”

Again, uncertain of the answer, Law paused for a length of time bordering on uncomfortable before he shrugged nonchalantly. “Sure. Lots of stripes.” He wondered belatedly if he was going to look like he had a bunch of bees on the ends of his fingers before deciding it didn’t really matter. There were worse things. 

Taking that response with all the seriousness in her tiny little frame, Yara set to work. Her placement, although random, was neat and well thought out as she began to lay the strips of tape over Law’s nails at angles to one another; horizontal and vertical lines had long ago become boring to her, she liked the movement found in the angles. Once she’d covered each nail to her satisfaction she finally picked up the bottle of black polish and started carefully smoothing it over the entire surface from top to bottom.

Watching her work was strangely entrancing. She was skilled for being so young; there wasn’t a spot of polish anywhere but on his nails, and Law could only imagine the skill was born from meticulous practice considering the constant state of Kid’s nails. It was a nice way to pass the time in relative silence.

As this was the part she wanted to be most careful with, Yara worked in silence through both coats of polish. Once she was satisfied with the saturation of color she carefully began peeling the tape away, smiling as she saw the crisp lines of yellow come to fruition through the black overcoat. Once all ten fingers were peeled clean of their tape and the final pattern revealed she finally turned her gaze up to Law again, expectant and hopeful, “... Well…?”

Once the tape was removed from the last finger, Law lifted his hands up, keeping his fingers splayed out to see her work. It was a little more sharp than the usual spots he adorned himself with, but the crisp lines went well with his tattoos. It actually looked pretty damn good, and he let himself smile as he looked back at her, “It’s good.”

The smile that bloomed across her face at that was as bright as the yellow on his nails, a contrasting giveaway of the true nature of how important his response was to her, as opposed to the words she spoke, “Well, duh. Of course! Gimme your hands back.” Once obeyed, she proceeded to brush on a clear layer of varnish, meticulous as always. 

There was something about this encounter that was fascinating to him, like he was living out an experiment, though he couldn’t say what it was measuring. His capacity for human connection, perhaps, and it was interesting to him that he didn’t hate it, “What are you doing now?”

“Top coat!” the answer came loud and certain, like that explained everything. Tongue yet again peeking out from the corner of her mouth, Yara studiously finished that task and began cleaning up her supplies, intent as always on not leaving any mess behind. She’d done that, once, and it ended with dried polish crusted between the bottle and the brush, acting like glue and fastening them together so well that it had taken Kid to open it in the end. She wasn’t going to let that happen again. 

A fond sigh escaped Kid at his sister’s response, watching her wistfully for a moment before he turned his attention back to Law to fill in the gaps Yara left behind, “Protects it. Stops it from chipping so soon. Keep your fingers spread for at least ten minutes.” Standing up, the redhead ruffled the little one’s hair before leaning down to kiss her forehead, “Good job, kiddo.” 

Law wiggled his fingers on the table in mock protest, but was careful not to let Yara’s hard work smudge. He had a feeling she wouldn’t take kindly to that. “What else did you have in mind for us today?” he asked, directing the question at whichever Eustass sibling felt like answering.

The pride shining in Yara’s eyes as she looked up at her brother was unparalleled. It was clear she grew stronger and happier with each compliment that Kid gave her. But, before Kid could say anything, she whirled back around to face Law, answering for the both of them - this was her day after all and she was going to call the shots, not her brother, “We’re gonna go to the beach!”

Law raised his eyebrow, voice flat as he spoke, “The beach.” It wasn’t a question so much as a statement; she had to know there wasn’t much he and Kid would be able to do at the beach except bake in the sun. He wasn’t likely to burn, but they were both pale and therefore likely to come out redder than they’d started, especially considering how warm it’d been recently, “What do you like to do on the beach?”

“Play in the shallows with Kid!” excitement clearly bubbling through her, Yara hopped off her little stool and grabbed her brother’s hand, pointing seriously at Law with her free one, “Don’t touch anything, they’ll be dry when we get there. Then you can play too.” While she was well aware that neither of them could swim, that wouldn’t stop them from dipping their toes in while she frolicked around. 

But, just as quick as she had proposed that as their next steps her attention snapped back to their earlier conversation and she gasped, almost like she was wounded, or perhaps aghast that she had forgotten for a second, “Wait! No! You gotta show me inside stuff on the outside first, you promised you would!”

Chuckling, Law stood, still careful not to touch anything with his fingernails. He appreciated someone who was so curious about his power, rather than outright disgusted by it. Though it was always fun to unsettle people, it was equally entertaining to show off to those who weren’t put off by it. Those people were much more rare, “Sure. What do you want to see?”

Wiggling with how excited she was, Yara clapped her hands giddily as she exclaimed, “Your favorite thing!” She liked this, she felt like an adult, like Law was taking her seriously and not trying to tell her she was too young to see stuff like that. Perhaps she was being a little petulant about the fact that her brother had told her that exact thing, but he wasn’t trying to contradict her now, was he?

“My favorite thing?” there were a lot of interesting things he could share, but Law knew that his favorite thing, by far, were hearts. He wondered, not for the first time, if Cora-san had something to do with that. If it was an extension of the symbolism the nuns in Flevance had taught him about. Whatever it was, it was an easy answer. Not wanting to push Kid’s buttons with this particular thing since he knew the redhead was jumpy about it, Law’s Room encompassed only himself. It was with deft fingers that he cut his heart from his chest, letting the organ rest in his palm for her to watch as it beat steadily.

The moment Law activated his power and began to work, Yara went dead silent, staring wide eyed in sheer awe at his precise and careful movements. When the end result was presented to her, perched atop Law’s hand like it was on display, her soft gasp of wonder was the first sound that broke the silence. But it wasn’t the last, as the moment she found her voice it was used to exclaim, “That’s metal as fuck!”

Law almost dropped his heart in his resulting bark of sharp laughter. He was expecting something different; something more like Kid’s reaction; Law had been watching the redhead’s face turned white out of the corner of his eye. “You think so?” he asked, amusement clear in his voice. He lowered the heart to her level so she could get a better look. “You can touch it if you’re careful.”

“I can touch it!?” the excited amazement was evident in her question and Yara reached out her hand immediately, though she hovered just above the surface of the fleshy, pulsating organ. Blatantly ignoring Kid’s surprisingly faint admonition not to do that, Yara looked up at Law with a wide, eager, and open expression, “Really?”

Crouching down so he could more easily monitor her movement, Law nodded. “Really.” He took her hand carefully, stretching out her fingers until they were flat. Then he took his own hand and pressed his flat palm to the side of his heart in demonstration, “Like this. Gently. You can feel it beat.”

Even through the excitement of the moment, Yara was a careful study, watching Law studiously before slowly repeating his movements - she didn’t need to be told that getting to touch somebody’s heart needed to be done carefully. As the skin of her hand slowly made contact she couldn’t help but giggle, the sheer delightful absurdity of the moment and the feeling overflowing, “So cool! Can you feel when I touch it?”

“Not really. I can feel it if you squeeze or poke it too hard, but hearts are used to beating against other organs and tissue, so your hand doesn’t feel too much different right now,” Law explained. He tilted his head up to spare a glance at Kid, deviousness in his eyes as he searched out the other man’s gaze. He could only imagine the face the other man was making at the spectacle. 

It was less a face and more a tormented, anguished paroxysm of horror. Kid did _not_ like seeing living, useful organs out just beating in the light of day and even more so, he did NOT like the sight of his baby sister handling said living, beating organ specifically. For all that he looked horrified he also looked a little green, face pale and drawn as his stomach flopped around in his gut. If he was going to beg for anything, ever, it would be for this thing happening right now to stop. 

A slow, menacing grin spread across Law’s face as he took in Kid’s expression; for someone as brutal as him, it was hilarious that he was so squeamish. He was careful to wipe the expression from his face before turning back to Yara. “I should probably put this back before your terrifying big brother soils himself,” he commented matter-of-factly.

Yara did cast a gaze her brother’s way, but it was far from sympathetic. Matter of fact, she giggled a little as she took in his face, shaking her head as she turned back to Law, “Yeah, he said your power was freaky. But I think it’s cool!” Not wanting Law to put his heart away quite yet, she pouted a little, “Just a few more minutes? It feels so neat!”

Still amused, Law nodded. “Cup your hands together. You can hold it,” he couldn’t say why, exactly, but he trusted that Yara was going to be gentle enough that he wasn’t worried about potential damage to his heart. He would trust Kid to do the same, had trusted him that much for an uncomfortable amount of time at this point. 

Yara’s unbridled, joyful squeal filled the room in tandem with the sound of her little feet jumping up and down for a moment before she was able to pull herself together and do as Law had asked, “Okay! I’ll be very careful!” Basically quivering with excitement at the opportunity before her, the puppy dog eyes Yara was giving Law were so dramatic and so hopeful it would have been impossible to deny her anyway. 

Gently, Law let his heart come to rest on her open palms. There was a brief moment where he felt her fingers squeeze around it while she figured out the right amount of pressure before the feeling subsided. Law remained crouching so he could take it back quickly if need be, but her fascination held his attention.

“Fuck the gods…” whispered under her breath, it was clear Yara wasn’t really even aware that she was speaking - and, also, that she absolutely got that phrase from her brother or someone else on the crew. After a moment she lifted her hands slightly, turning so she could study Law’s heart from different angles and varying shades of torchlight. The way her eyes stayed rapt and wide, taking in every minuscule little movement, was something that Kid could have watched for days had she been holding anything, _anything_ else.

“Heh,” Law huffed in amusement as he watched her. Even the people who thought his power was interesting weren’t as into this as her. She had the curiosity and steel stomach of a surgeon; he remembered being young and seeing the specimens his father had shown him while his sister gagged in the background. Some people, his father explained, were just naturally curious about the human body and weren’t put off by it. Some people had to build up their tolerance, like his mother. It was nice, thinking of them again in a positive way, but the thoughts made Law miss them more keenly.

It was only the beginning of an ache in her arms - and perhaps the sudden thump of her brother’s feet as he ran out of the alcove and the subsequent retching heard from around the corner - that finally made Yara offer his heart back to Law. Looking morose as he took it she could only watch as he returned it to its rightful home, the sadness overtaking her for a moment before she managed to shake it off and turn that sunshine grin back on him with a new request, “What else can I see?”

Law snickered as Kid scurried away, standing upright as he returned his heart to his chest. Briefly, he spared a glance at his nails to make sure they hadn’t somehow gotten chipped. When he saw nothing worrying, he let them hang at his sides as he considered Yara’s question. “What do you want to see? I can show you pretty much anything. Though if you want to go to the beach, I think you might want to go easy on Kid.”

While she had opened her mouth to respond to Law’s question, what actually escaped was a long, put upon sigh and a dramatic pirouette to face the chamber entrance, “Come oooooon, Kid, toughen up!” Shifting her weight from foot to foot, Yara consider her options. Beach or organs, beach or organs. Or, wait… beach or bones? Bones definitely win, “Can I see your ribs!?”

“Sure thing, kid,” Law replied indulgently. The next half an hour was spent on a hands on anatomy lesson as Law removed and replaced various parts of himself, explaining how everything was connected and what it all looked like. It was actually incredibly fun, having a sort of student of his own he could teach the way his father had taught him, albeit in a much more truncated way. 

Having decided that the two weirdos in Yara’s room were better off without him, Kid skedaddled to the far end of the hall, where he would be sure to hear anything shouted or otherwise projected his way, but with enough distance between them that he didn’t have to hear the disgustingly in-depth conversations about how smooth the outside of Law’s ribs were. Groaning as he sat and waited for it to be over, Kid found himself staring absently at the ceiling until Killer moved into sight of his periphery. “... He’s taking himself apart and she’s asking questions about it. Not my plan for today.”

Killer slowly lowered himself down the wall opposite Kid, splaying his long legs across the hall to nudge the redhead’s. “Means they’re gettin’ along, though,” he replied, not particularly fond of Trafalgar’s skills either. He couldn’t blame Kid for not wanting to get involved in that, but he was still a little wary of the other captain, “What’re y’gonna do when she asks to see her own body parts?”

Kid went from pale as a ghost to offended and ruddy red in seconds, sputtering as he pushed himself upright to indignantly answer Killer, “She fuckin’ won’t!” Not that he was arguing whether or not Yara would ask - of course she would, she was the biggest troublemaker of them all. Rather, he was making his answer to that question well and emphatically known. The thought of his baby sister’s heart anywhere but safely and securely in her chest just about gave his own an attack. If Law was stupid enough to do something like that…

“Like hell she won’t,” Killer scoffed in response, nonplussed by Kid’s outburst. “Guess you must trust him t’tell her no, then?” in his own way, Killer was goading the redhead to return, a slight tease for the fact that he’d left in the first place. He was unsettled by Trafalgar’s power too, but not enough to get squeamish. If Yara could handle whatever it was the chop shop was doing, he certainly could too.

The little growl that escaped Kid at that was low and threatening, his eyes narrowing in Killer’s direction, “You’re a fuck.” Though he still didn’t have the gumption to go back in that room, Kid did heave himself off the floor and totter back down the hall until he was within shouting distance, “Yo! Yara’s body stays how it was when she was born!”

The sound of Kid’s sudden stomping jolted Law back into focus; he’d almost forgotten Kid was gone he was so absorbed in his conversation with Yara. Clearly Kid had interrupted her thoughts because she balled up her fists and stomped one foot, turning to yell in the direction of the hallway, “It’s my body, Kid! I can do what I want!”

“Not until you’re sixteen y’can’t!” came the equally stubborn reply, the words clearly a phrase Kid had shouted her way more than once. Not that the whole “adult” thing was going to stop him from protecting and defending his baby sister at all costs - from both others and herself. “I’ll maim you if you do it, Trafalgar,” though the words held enough levity to make it clear Kid wasn’t angry with his boyfriend, the threat still held. 

Clicking his tongue, Law caught Yara’s gaze and winked at her playfully, raising his voice just loud enough for Kid to hear him. “Guess we better put this back before Kid comes and sees,” he lamented, flicking his power on just long enough to be convincing in case the redhead was able to see the soft glow. Catching on to what he was doing, Yara covered her mouth to hide a giggle.

The roar that came from the hallway at that was animal, nothing human, and the way Kid came tearing around the corner into their little alcove was just as aggressive. As Kid came to an abrupt halt upon surveying the area around him the frown on his face deepened and turned its ire on Law, “You think you’re funny?”

Far from being intimidated, Law was wearing a shit eating grin as Kid barreled into the room. Yara was no longer trying to hide her mirth, doubled over laughing as Law replied, “Generally, yeah. Yara certainly seems to agree.” 

Finding her voice, Yara straightened partially and pointed at her brother. “Kid! You should see your face! It’s as red as your hair!” A fresh wave of laughter bubbled up and she doubled over again, leaning against Law to keep her balance.

“I’m gonna kill you both…” but the muttering came under his breath as he shook his head, fretting like an old southern grandma might. Reaching out, the redhead snatched Yara up into his arms and flopped back on the bed, summoning the metal bearing in his pocket to fly out and repeatedly ping off Law until the other man got the hint and was corralled within Kid’s reach, at which point he was promptly yanked onto the mattress as well, “Guess I have’t babysit. 

“I don’t think babysitting means to literally sit on babies,” Law deadpanned, gesturing to the way he had both Yara and himself pinned to his sides. As she sometimes did, Yara took the opportunity to attempt to grapple with her brother, a sight that was sort of hilarious to Law as he wasn’t used to seeing it. She was growling like a feral thing, scrabbling against Kid’s side and trying to bite at the meat of his arm to escape.

At Yara’s sneak attack Kid couldn’t help but cackle, pleased as always with her gumption and effort. Reaching down with one hand to grab her ankle, Kid wrapped his fingers around the little joint and tugged, sitting upright until he had Yara flat on her back on the bed, “Best you got, kiddo? Yer not gonna get anywhere with just a couple love bites.”

Apparently feeling animalistic, she continued to grunt and growl, pulling herself up off the bed using Kid’s hold on her for leverage. She grabbed his hand and tried biting his wrist, kicking toward his face with her free leg. With Kid’s attention diverted, Law was able to shift to be out of flailing range before resting his chin in his hand, deciding he would need to teach Yara about pressure points.

As was so often an occurrence inside these caves, Kid’s warm laughter ran out across the stone. For the next few minutes he kept contorting his sister into odd positions and doing his best to defend himself from some of her more vicious little bites. Yet, the whole while he still continued to egg her on, motivate her to keep trying, and occasionally even gave her little tips or tricks. After all, she was his blood and fighting was in her nature, she deserved to have it cultivated. 

As he continued to watch, Law found that he felt comfortable. He didn’t feel like an outsider looking into a life that wasn’t his own; he felt included. It was startlingly easy to imagine Yara as his own little sister, to remember the feeling of being an older sibling. And he welcomed it now, instead of running from it. It felt good. This… felt _good._

By the end of it, Kid had let Yara win. By the time she’d wiggled around to scale his back and wrap herself sideways around his shoulders and head, the older Eustass had allowed himself to fall face first onto the bed, staying there as she shifted to mount him like a horse and bay her victory to the ceiling. Gods, but he loved the sound of her when she was happy and it felt even better, somehow, to share the moment with Law at his side. 

Without even intending to, Law felt himself smiling slightly. He wanted more of this, more of these moments, more of this feeling of family. “You’re a fierce little thing, aren’t you?” he asked once they had finally calmed down. Her enthusiasm was contagious, it seemed, “I think I have a few tricks I can teach you, if you want to learn.”

Her eyes widening at the prospect of new tricks, Yara scrambled off her brother’s back and used his butt as a launch pad to throw herself into Law’s lap, giddy with excitement, “Yeah, yeah, show me now, show me now!” Bright as the afternoon sun, Yara looked up at him through auburn fringe and gave her most winning smile, as though she knew that very look always made sure she got her way. 

The sudden proximity to Yara startled Law just for a moment before his expression softened again. “Let me see your hand,” he requested, holding out his own. She obeyed promptly and Law curled his thumb and pointer finger around her middle finger, squeezing the tip of her finger against the base and putting the lightest bit of pressure on it. “You don’t need a lot of pressure for this to hurt. Just squeeze really hard.”

Watching Law studiously, Yara bit her lip as he moved through the steps, taking in exactly how he held her finger and at which point the pressure started to hurt. Assured of her understanding, she nodded astutely and demanded her brother’s hand, which the redhead stuck out with a grunt, choosing to remain flat on his belly as the two of them did whatever weird shit they were doing behind him. 

Which turned out to be the wrong move, as quickly evidenced by the very loud, very abrupt and startled squawk of pain he let out upon Yara’s first (successful) attempt to employ the pressure point Law had just taught her. 

Smug, Law leaned back on his hands and nodded his approval at Yara’s quick study of his methods, “When you’re smaller, you have to learn how to fight in ways that doesn’t just use strength. A lot of people I come up against are bigger than me, so I don’t fight the same way they do. There are lots of pressure points like that you can use.”

“Oh fuck,” this time, the muffled response came from a sullen Kid nursing an aching finger. Pushing himself upright, the younger captain decided that as long as they’d agreed that Yara’s organs stayed on her insides, he didn’t need to be here any longer to babysit, “If you’re gonna practice that shit, do it on him.” 

But even as he grumbled, the look in Kid’s eyes when he met Law’s made it clear that, right now, he was perhaps the happiest man on earth; seeing them get along like this was everything Kid had dreamed for. “When you’re done bein’ fuckin’ weird, come get food,” that said, Kid headed back into the hallway and turned toward the main cavern; alone time had done them well so far and he wasn’t opposed to giving them a little more. They had all evening to spend together too, after all. 

“Isn’t it a little early for lunch?” Law teased, his own expression as open and happy as it ever was; quite a feat considering the little girl sitting in his lap. “Go on, I don’t want you to know what to look for. It’s no fun if you see it coming.” Having shooed Kid away, Law plucked Yara from his lap and set her across from him so he could teach her more effectively.

And so the afternoon passed, the lesson on pressure points morphing into a discussion of the most tender spots on the human body and how to hurt them. The good thing was, Yara already knew most of them - solar plexus, instep, nose, groin - all familiar to her, courtesy of her brother. What Law imparted were new and more creative ways of attacking those tender spots, moves with a little more finesse to them, in comparison to Kid’s rather brash method of just bash them in. 

By the time lunch actually did roll around, both of them were hungry, a little sore, and ready to see Kid. Yara came tumbling out into the chamber first, flushed red with excitement at everything she learned and the new friend she’d made all at once, “Kid!” cannonballing straight at him, Yara tumbled into his lap with a joyous shout that was met by an equally indulgent smile, “I like Law, he’s great!”

Law was close enough behind to hear her words, and in spite of all the time they’d just spent together in relative comfort, that was the thing that made him feel awkward. He had never taken praise like that very well; Law didn’t think of himself as a good person and most of the time he didn’t care, but Yara’s words were so earnest and devoid of ulterior motives that it made him feel his flaws more keenly. Flaws he truly didn’t care about unless he wanted to feel worthy of someone, which had really only started happening recently. 

The warmth of Kid’s tone, the way he lingered wistfully at the last word in a way that made it clear the question wasn’t really a question proved more than enough to show just how earnest Kid himself was in response, “Yeah, he is kiddo, isn’t he?” Seeing Yara so damn happy after such a short time with someone that the rest of the world generally found abhorrent just solidified for Kid how much he really, truly had fallen in love with Law. 

Once he decided that he wanted Yara to like him, Law had also decided he was going to be worthy of any affection she gave. He wanted to prove to himself he was capable of it after having failed with much of his own crew. That didn’t mean he felt comfortable with her, or felt he knew how to interact with her, but he was pushing himself to try, “I think someone was promised time at the beach. Think you can manage to transport all this out for a picnic?” Law found himself relying on what he remembered Lamy enjoying; she loved to be outside in the sun and picnics were an almost daily occurrence for her.

At the way Yara brightened, Kid could only laugh, “Yeah, yeah, let me get a box.” Pushing himself upright, Kid swung Yara onto his shoulders as he headed back toward the wall that housed their land bound galley, grinning at Bolt as they got close enough as Yara promptly rattled off her requests for a basket and three special lunch dishes that she wanted to share with her brother and her brother’s boyfriend. 

Law felt himself relax when his suggestion was met with such eager agreement. His initial trepidation to interact with Yara felt somewhat foolish now; though he felt awkward occasionally when communicating with her, it hadn’t actually been _difficult_. While the term boyfriend was something he still didn’t exactly like, it still made him feel oddly warm to hear himself referred to in that way. Like he belonged to something greater than his revenge.

The rest of the late afternoon passed easy, with a little girl frolicking in the shallows, two Devil Fruit users gingerly dipping their toes in at her insistent command, and Killer lurking somewhat sullenly in the treeline to save her (and her brother) should anything go awry. After a while Kid had shouted at him to stop sulking in the shadows and come join them for food - he and Law were gonna have to get along now, anyway, since they were both important men in his life. The face that comment drew from the two it was directed at was almost identically disgusted and sent Kid into uproarious laughter. 

By the time the ragtag group retired back to the caverns, Yara was blown, sleepily curled against her brother’s chest and shoulder as he carried her through the forest. Though he kept her carefully supported with one arm, the other found Law’s hand and intertwined their fingers with ease and he never let Killer so far out of reach he couldn’t bump hips with him if he wanted. Today had, somewhat unexpectedly, become one of the best days of his life, surrounded by the three people he each loved so deeply in their own different ways. 

Just like Yara, Law felt himself drained of most of his energy on the walk back. All this time spent in the sun after back to back emotionally draining occurrences meant he was actually tired. He’d be happy about that if he hadn’t gone through so much to get here. What started as simply holding Kid’s hand turned into Law practically leaning his weight into the redhead’s side to help keep him upright. If anyone asked, he’d insist that he spent more time in the water than Kid had, which sapped more of his energy than that of his counterpart. 

Without comment and with a welcoming, open body language that eventually morphed into Kid wrapping his arm around Law’s shoulders and holding him close, the captain of the Black Rose led his motley crew back to base, getting them all in out of the sunlight and into the cool air of the cave. Turning to Killer, Kid bade his second a clearly fond farewell before turning back to his two tired charges, “Nap time, huh?”

“I don’t nap,” Law deadpanned, pointedly holding himself upright under his own power. Yara seemed to disagree; half draped over Kid’s shoulder, she stretched out so she could reach Law’s hair, tugging weakly and mumbling something that could have been ‘nap’ had her mouth not been pressed against her brother’s shoulder.

“Hey, m’little Black Rose called it,” as though Yara had binding authority over all things, Kid gave Law a look that just dared him to argue, “y’got it, Sprout.” Looping his arm back around Law’s shoulders he led them both back to his bed, flopping himself down in the middle and carefully arranging both of them on either side, ensuring both were settled and comfortable before he closed his own eyes, “Just for a bit, yeah? Dinner’s soon.”

Huffing in meager protest, Law nonetheless curled his knee over Kid’s closest leg, shifting until his head was comfortably pillowed on the redhead’s chest. Yara didn’t seem to need any readjusting; she simply settled where Kid put her and started snoring almost immediately. Before Kid could drift off to sleep, Law gently caught his attention, “Y’should have told me sooner. About Yara.”

For a brief moment Kid went tense as his mind tried to process whether or not Law’s words were accusatory. He had all sorts of defenses spring to the tip of his tongue almost immediately - _no I shouldn’t have, y’don’t get t’decide that, it’s not up t’you, fuck you_ \- but in short order he discarded them and let the strain in his shoulders relax, “... told ya when I was ready.”

Law’s guard was down enough that his explanation sprang forth easily, “I missed being a brother.” It was a very simple statement, and though it was true he was almost taken aback by how strong the emotion was that surged up at that admission. There were a lot of things he missed but his relationship with Lamy was probably the most uncomplicated. He missed being a son, too, but that didn’t feel as active a role as being Lamy’s big brother had been. 

Whatever response Kid had been expecting, that wasn’t it. Though Law had shown flashes of emotional vulnerability before, it was still rare enough that every single one caught Kid off guard - especially now, with something to clearly sensitive and scarring. Kid couldn’t even imagine what he’d do if something happened to Yara… go crazy and murder everyone in a blind rage until he himself was taken down, probably. Hearing Law’s words made his chest ache. 

Pulling the raven haired man in closer with a squeeze of the arm around his shoulders, Kid pressed half a dozen soft kisses to his hair before he felt collected enough to respond, “... told y’cause you’re one a the only ones I trust t’treat her right.” It wasn’t the most eloquent way to explain it, but he did his best. The fact that Law had a younger sister he’d cared about was one of the integral things that made him finally decide it was okay to tell the other man about his own.

Squirming slightly under the sudden onslaught of affection, Law felt his face heat up slightly at Kid’s reaction to his words. Nonetheless, he didn’t pull away from it, though he didn’t relax until Kid stopped. “I don’t go out of my way to be an asshole to children,” Law groused, though he knew the redhead didn’t have a lot of reason to believe that until recently. He went out of his way to be an asshole to most people.

The light scoff of a chuckle that escaped Kid then said it all. Twisting his neck a little awkwardly, Kid bent down until he could capture Law’s lips in a kiss, soft and slow with lazy affection. That done he flopped his head back on the pillow, eyes sliding closed as the heat of the day and the impact of the water started to truly tug at him too, “Love you. Go’t sleep.”

For a moment, Law’s eyes widened and he tilted his head back to look at Kid. He wasn’t surprised, not really, it was just that Kid hadn’t said it back the first time and hearing it now just solidified the sense that this was where he belonged. Here, and with his own hodgepodge crew that he was finally starting to accept as family. 

When he woke up hours later, after having fallen into a sudden, dreamless slumber, Law forgot where he was for a moment. He was comfortable, warm, and suspiciously well-rested and it almost didn’t feel real. Pushing himself up until he was sitting against the stone wall that served as a headboard, his eyes were suddenly drawn to a shape in the doorway, “...Killer.”

The man in question grunted, crossing his arms and standing firm as though to state his right to be exactly where he was with no explanation required. He was quiet for a moment after, scrutinizing Law, before acknowledging the surgeon similarly, “Trafalgar.” 

Looking down at the sleeping pair, Law got the impression he was probably in the spot the blond usually occupied. Looking back up at him, Law pursed his lips for a moment before he spoke, “I can move.” It wasn’t the most elegant offer, but he was trying to be thoughtful. Now that he was awake, he knew he wouldn’t be able to lay still for much longer; that and he needed to take a leak.

Rolling his eyes at that, Killer shook his head and flicked the fingers on one hand dismissively, like he was trying to shake the offer off, “Not the issue.” While it was true Killer spent most nights with Kid, he wasn’t threatened by Law’s presence - he knew that this bond with his Captain was strong enough, deep enough, _important_ enough to withstand any romantic interlude Kid got himself into. 

Law wasn’t stupid enough to believe that was the issue, it just didn’t seem like the best time to hash out exactly what the issues between them were right now. He shrugged a little, stretching his arms over his head before carefully slipping out of bed. “Suit yourself,” he murmured, marveling at how easy it was for him to get up without waking either redhead.

Tracking Law as he moved, Killer let him brush by into the hallway before turning to face him, quiet enough to avoid disturbing the Eustass siblings as he spoke, “Kid can handle heartbreak. Yara can’t.” Protective as he was of his captain, Killer knew that sometimes, the big man had to make his own stupid choices and recover from them in due time. Yara, on the other hand, had never really suffered like that, not that she could remember anyway. 

Pausing in the doorway, Law leveled a sardonic smile up at Killer. “Contrary to popular belief, I’m not much a fan of heartbreak myself,” he replied. Law could appreciate Killer looking out for Yara as much as he did for Kid, but he wasn’t ready to have a real in-depth conversation about his feelings and intentions with the blond. But he didn’t use a mocking tone like he usually would have, which was a step in the right direction.

“Then don’t make me destroy it,” while Killer’s words were threatening, his tone was soft, like it was both a promise and a request. That said - and since Law had vacated the spot anyway - the blond slipped into the cavern that held his family, though he didn’t snuggle up at Kid’s side; he didn’t feel like getting mistaken for Trafalgar when Kid woke up. But he did tuck his long limbs into a corner of the bed and look over his two charges with soft, almost sad eyes. He really did hope Kid was making the right decisions.

Law didn’t go far; after relieving himself he simply wandered around the tunnels of the cave system, recognizing what was natural and what had been carved out by Kid’s crew. Brackets of molded metal helped support ceilings and walls and Law recognized Kid’s handiwork; it would be easy for him to manipulate molten metal to hold it in place while it formed itself against the surface of the uneven rock. From there, additional braces had been fitted into place, creating sturdy chambers for additional storage. It was well crafted, actually. 

Approximately thirty-seven minutes later, Kid’s booming voice echoed through those tunnels and caverns, alight with mischievous delight, “Yeah, that’s fine Yar, y’find him, he’s all yours t’bite.” Having woken up with Killer in the room, Kid’s heart had initially sent a sharp bolt of dread through him - had Law run, had he done something bad, why wasn’t he here and Killer was - but the blond knew his captain too well and put those fears to rest before he could even voice them.

Killer’s story was simple; telling Kid that Chop Shop had woken up and wandered off somewhat sleepily, but that he was sure he was still around. He always seemed to be a restless fuck anyway, the way he was always so twitchy when people were around. Somewhere in the midst of it all was when Yara had peeked her eyes open, grinned wide enough to show teeth, and asked if she could be part of the round up crew. 

Law wasn’t far away when he heard Kid’s voice and his own sense of mischief sprang forth. Using his power to light up the hallway he transferred himself to the ceiling, recalling his Room until it was around him just wide enough to keep him from falling to the floor. He wasn’t terribly high up; Kid would be able to reach him if he lifted his arms up, but it would still be fun to play keep away for a little while.

As it turned out a nine year old was fast, especially when she knew the cave layout like the back of her hand. Before long her attentive little gaze came to rest on Law from a bit further down that particular hall, her hands going to her hips and a pout tugging on her lips as she tried to decide how to handle this new situation. Finally, with a huff, she approached Law until she was standing underneath him, craning her neck back to look him in the eyes, “Come down an’ let me bite you an’ I won’t tell Kid where y’are.”

Pretending to consider her offer, Law shifted so he was sitting cross-legged on the ceiling. “What if I say no?” he asked, extending his arm so it was out of his Room, fingers wiggling in her direction but safely out of reach. He hadn’t used his power like this outside of needing to be stealthy for information gathering, and Law wasn’t surprised to find it enjoyable.

Among the many things that Yara had learned from her brother was the simple fact that you never, ever asked twice. Drawing all her air in her little lungs could hold, her sudden cry echoed loudly through the halls, “Kid! Kid! Found him! By the head, Kid!” Satisfied with the volume and duration of her shouting, Yara crossed her arms and looked up at Law resolutely, features set, “That’s what you get.”

Laughing, Law retrieved his arm out of reach and flattened himself on the ceiling so he would be difficult to reach. “I suppose I deserved that,” he mused. He wasn’t trying not to be found, he just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to mess with Kid and, by extension, Yara. Given that fact, he wasn’t willing to put more effort into staying out of reach, so he simply lazed about defying gravity until Kid found him.

Kid’s entry into their little section of the world was heralded by the sound of heavy boots on stone and a very emphatic yawn somewhere along the way. Finally coming across his target, the redhead scratched the top of his head and looked up at Law with a quirked eyebrow, yawning again before he managed to speak, “... Really?”

Propping an ankle on the opposite knee, Law crossed his arms behind his head and shrugged, “Why not?” Judging Kid and Yara’s placement and determining she was safely out of the way, Law expanded the perimeter of his Room and turned himself belly up before giving one brief warning, “Catch.”

The sound that escaped Kid was some strange mix of yelp and growl as he yanked his head out of the way but nonetheless instinctively moved to grab Law, snatching him out of the air and yanking him against his chest without so much as a conscious thought. Cursing loudly, Kid locked eyes with his boyfriend - now cradled safety in the basket of his arms - and demanded loudly, “What is wrong with you?”

Laughing, Law curled his arms around Kid’s neck and let his Room dissipate. “A lot, actually. Are you saying I shouldn’t rely on you to catch me?” he asked, batting his lashes in a playful attempt at being romantic. Recognizing that apparently getting to bite a wayward visitor was some strange nine year old ritual, Law let one arm dangle in Yara’s reach so she wasn’t left out of the moment.

Both siblings moved at once to take what they wanted, Kid’s lips pressing against Law’s at the same time Yara’s sharp teeth bit into the firm flesh of his forearm. It was most likely a strange combination, but neither Eustass cared much. Kid didn’t feel the need to correct Law verbally - he had just caught him, after all - so he just held Law firm and took what he saw as his reward for the hard work.

Law relaxed into the hold Kid had on him, returning the kiss lazily. The sharpness of Yara’s teeth against his arm almost didn’t register, and as soon as she’d released him he pressed the palm of his hand against the top of her head, ruffling her hair lightly. When he finally pulled back, Law glanced between the two Eustass siblings before speaking, “Dinner?”

The resounding agreement he got from both of them chimed against the stone so perfectly in sync it was almost as though they were the same person. The rest of the night proceeded with similar joy, both siblings plying Law with attention and affection in their own way, through dinner and into the darker hours. Kid was full to bursting with a sense of awe and sheer gratitude that today had gone so perfectly and Yara couldn’t manage to sit still, she was still so excited at finally getting to meet and interact with Law. 

Had this meeting happened more than three months ago, Law knew he wouldn’t have been able to interact with Yara as well as he had today. He had allowed himself to be more open recently and faced a few of his shortcomings as he weathered the changes he’d faced recently. Though he knew he would have to leave soon, to follow through on the goal all his hard work had been funneled into, he could at least say that this detour had been worth it.

It was after dark when Law finally admitted to himself it was time to leave. He promised Penguin he’d be back before the end of the day and he intended to keep that promise. Rising from the chair he’d been lounging in, he caught Kid’s attention, flashing a sheepish expression. “Promised I’d be back before the day ended.”

The look of distaste on Kid’s face was as obvious as the glow of the full moon and his words only backed that up, “The hell you do that for?” One of Kid’s favorite rituals was nighttime snuggles and now one of his three options was going to scamper off before he could enjoy it, little bastard. But beyond that displeased inquiry Kid didn’t argue, standing as well - he would at least escort Law back as far as he could.

“You’re not the only one with a crew member who thinks of himself as a parental figure,” Law replied, eyes flickering over to Killer to illustrate his example. He didn’t think that his crew worried over him because of his choice in companion. Rather, it seemed more like they just wanted him to be around. Which was still strange, but Law was past the point of wondering about it.

“Yeah, yeah…” shaking his head, Kid gently scooped Yara up onto his shoulders and took Law’s hand in one of his own, turning them all in the direction of the beach. If he had to bid Law goodnight earlier than he would have liked, at least they had the walk back to the shoreline to do it in. For her part, Yara was too tired to really vocalize her sadness, but it was evident on her face anyway,and in the way she reached down to try and gently grab his hair. 

Law allowed the tether of Yara’s hand in his hair, gently patting the top of it with his free hand as they walked. In a way, this encounter only made him want to see his own crew even more. He was in a good mood, a familial mood, and he wanted to share it with more people. As they were heading out, he called Jean Bart briefly. The larger man insisted he had already gone out for some night fishing - which was plausible - but Law suspected it had more to do with someone on the crew wanting to be close by to come get him as quickly as possible.

As they neared the shoreline, Law pushed his Room out to its fullest extent and could easily locate the boat manned by Jean Bart idling at a respectful distance. Law crouched down as Kid set Yara on the sand to say goodbye, smiling at her, “My crew is going to be jealous of my nails.”

Sniffing a little and brushing at her face to try and hide the fact that she was tearing up (just tired, she’d insist, if anyone had asked) Yara bit her lip for a moment before pressing herself against his chest in quiet demand for a hug, voice warbling a little as she questioned him, “Really?” She took such pride in her work but had never gotten to share it with anyone outside of her brother’s crew before. If Law was telling the truth she would be so happy.

Hugging was still awkward but Law let his long arms curl gently around her narrow shoulders without hesitation, squeezing briefly before he set his hands on her shoulders to meet her gaze again, “Really really. Especially Ikkaku. She loves pretty things like this.”

“I’d paint her nails too,” earnest and sad, Yara’s words were at once hopeful and a little despondent. At least, they were for a second, before everything Law said sank in, “... A girl? You have a girl on your crew?” Her eyes widening in surprise and awe, Yara grabbed tight to Law’s wrists and stared so desperately at him it was as though she was looking into his soul, “You do?” 

Nodding, Law took her interest seriously. He knew it was important for her to see examples of other women who had accomplished things she was clearly so eager to accomplish herself, “I do. She can do a lot of things other people couldn’t dream of. She’s very clever. Maybe someday your brother will let me introduce you to her.”

Kid’s soft words of agreement floated through the air before Yara could even ask. While he still wasn’t entirely comfortable with Law’s crew at large knowing about Yara, he knew without a doubt how much him saying no would crush her. It just meant that when he quietly locked eyes with Law over Yara’s shoulder and mouthed the words _Nobody else knows_ while gesturing to his sister that he expected that demand to be obeyed. 

Nodding in response to Kid’s silent order, Law quirked his lips up into another grin as he met Yara’s gaze once more. “Think of something really mind blowing so you’ll know what to do when you meet her. Maybe a little less angular,” he hoped that giving her something else to focus on would make it easier to say goodbye. It was a tactic he’d used on Lamy, but also frequently on his crew to divert their attention when he was feeling destructive.

Brightening a little at that, Yara nodded as her mind started to do exactly as it was directed mentally flipping through images of all the designs she knew how to do, “What are her favorite colors?” Bouncing a little on the balls of her feet she began to loosen her grip on Law’s wrists, though as soon as she let go of one she did reach behind her to find Kid’s pant leg and cling to that instead. 

As Law considered Yara’s question, he frowned. He didn’t know the answer to that particular question and since his crew wore the same clothes it wasn’t like he had a lot of hints. He could recall a few times seeing her wearing hair bands of various colors, though whether those were chosen out of convenience or preference he couldn’t say. “...Teal and purple,” he replied finally, forcing his memory to cough up some recollection of Ikkaku wearing a color other than white.

“Oh,” brightening further, this time a smile touched Yara’s face, “those are pretty colors!” Nodding a little she finally let go of Law, though as she looked up at him her gaze was still determined, “When are you coming back?” The huff of laughter that emanated into the air above her suggested that Kid approved of that question. 

That was a loaded question, so Law forced himself to answer it slowly. “...I’ll be back at least one more time before I have to leave the island. But Kid has my number, and I have a long range snail, so you can talk to me if you want to,” finding some way to soften the blow of their imminent separation, Law ruffled her hair again and flashed a smile.

Had she been more awake and alert, Yara might have done better at following the particular twists of Law’s careful phrasing, but as is she just nodded a little, too overwhelmed with the day’s activity and new information that Law had a female crew member to take in much else. On the flip side, her brother was much more in tune with that intricacies of Law’s speech and responded with a displeased frown, “He’ll be around for a bit, Sprout. We have some more things to talk about.”

At that, Law stood to face Kid again, tucking his hands in his pockets. Leaving felt awkward like this; he wanted to see his own crew, but he wanted to stay too. “Don’t miss me too much,” he teased, though he knew it fell a little flat. There was no real reason for this to be a sad departure; they had a good day, he just needed to get back to his own ship. 

“As much as you’ll miss me,” Kid rejoined. Stepping forward (with one leg, anyway, since Yara was still clinging to the other) the redhead pulled Law into a hug of his own, tight and warm. Pressing his face into the top of Law’s head Kid breathed deep, taking a moment to say goodbye in his own way. Pulling back, he stole one, two, then three quick kisses before allowing Law to step away, “Get going. Wouldn’t want your bird getting angry.”

Huffing out a laugh, Law slid out of Kid’s hold on him, “Calling him an angry bird might make him squawk. I should try it sometime.” Stepping further into his room, he paused to hold up one hand in a lazy wave before his power shifted him to the boat Jean Bart was stationed on. The blue glow receded with him, darkening the beach as he left.

Kid only allowed Yara five short seconds to stare longingly across the water before he forced himself to bend down, scoop her up atop his shoulders again, and start the trek back to home base. Staying any longer would have only made her sad. They made small talk part of the way, Kid letting Yara debrief about her day and share everything she loved about it, but even she ran out of steam well before they got back, falling into a stupor as she held onto his hair. If he pulled Killer into bed with him that night, it was to soothe Yara further. He certainly wasn’t the one who needed soothing. 

As Law’s weight was suddenly added to the little boat it dipped down in the water, bobbing a bit before settling again. Law watched the ripples traveling back toward shore and hated how much longing he felt for something he had just left. Forcing himself not to get sucked into a melancholy haze, he turned to Jean Bart as the bigger man started towing back toward the opposite shore. “Did the rest of the crew get on without me okay?” there was a teasing manner to his tone, but the question was sincere; you didn’t have the kind of conversation he’d had with Bepo, Shachi, and Penguin without at least one of the three feeling trepidation at his departure.

“Aye, Captain,” the response was as slow and measured as anything else Jean Bart did, his attention focused on getting them back across the channel and into the safety of their submarine again. His higher-ups had been on pins and needles most of the day but he wasn’t about to tell Law that. Though there was one piece of news that merited sharing, “You’ve got a letter waiting. It’s on your desk.”

That news set Law on edge and he stiffened as his mind carefully sorted through who could have sent him a letter and why. Vergo’s presence on the ship when he’d accepted his title as Warlord was setting off alarm bells, but he knew he shouldn’t be presumptuous. “...is there any indication who it might be from?”

The huff that Jean Bart gave in initial response clearly provided an answer to that question before he even spoke; it had come in an over-sized, garishly pink envelope, after all. Never one to beat around the bush, Jean Bart answered plainly, “Warlord DonQuixote.”

Tenting his fingers together, Law rested his elbows on his knees, now hunched in thought. The initial plan had been to make his way to Punk Hazard; if his intelligence was correct the other Warlord had been testing it out as a potential base of operations for something sinister now that it had been all but wiped off the map thanks to Aokiji and Akainu. Law’s intentions had been to start there and prove useful before seeking out Doffy himself, but this letter… maybe it was nothing. Maybe the older man was just toying with him. But if there was a more direct way to get what he wanted, it was less time wasted. “Things are going to move faster now,” Law observed solemnly.

The night wasn’t cold, but it felt empty nonetheless, surrounded as they were by the vastness of ocean and stars. Strengthening that sensation was the fact that the only response he got was a solemn nod of Jean Bart’s head, shadowed by the lamp lighting their way as oars dipped into still waters, pulling them smoothly through the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello loves! New playlist time, for all the fun stuff that happened since the last one. You can listen to it[ here](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7LeHKP9SqkBrr8AYduTzwS)
> 
> Note: We have two cons coming up back to back, last weekend of July and first weekend in August, so if anyone is going to be at Otakon or GenCon, we will be too! (Cosplaying Kid/Law, Rocinante/Doffy and 2B/9S at Otakon if anyone cares.) That does mean that that those two weeks for sure will not have updates. We are going to do our best to consistently update before then, but it's con crunch time and all the crafting we said we'd do ahead of time so we didn't have to rush in the weeks leading up to it, well... yeah. You know the outcome of that already. I just wanted to keep you all in the loop! <3


	32. Demands

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Go all the way down and scroll over, it will all fit. <3

  
  
  
  
  



	33. Decisions

Sitting at his desk with the darkness of a summer night streaming in through the porthole, hands unfolding sheaf after sheaf of sharp, elegant pink handwriting, Law found that for a moment he wasn’t sure how to feel about the letter. As he read it everything was mostly numb, though he could feel something clench in his chest every few lines; the part about the world trying to destroy him before he was even born, obvious references to the fact that Doffy had gotten the pictures Vergo took (though he’d expected nothing less), the final demand to come “home.” It was undeniably ominous and chilling and yet…

Law could feel the smirk curling at the edges of his lips nonetheless, his eyes finally flicking off the pages to lock with those of his second, his faithful yet jittery loyal friend as a sharp sense of pleasure overtook him. His plan for spending months at Punk Hazard currying favor where he could was now a moot point. He had an invitation to the DonQuixote Empire’s home base, and he’d be a fool if he didn’t take it. 

“C-captain…?” standing awkwardly at something approximating attention mostly because he didn’t know what else to do, Penguin watched the play of Law’s emotions flick across his face with trepidation. Why was he smirking? That was concerning. Well, it would have been concerning if he had looked hurt too, or worried, or nervous, or… okay, fine. Any emotion Law had upon reading a letter from DonQuixote Doflamingo would have been concerning, but the smirk was one Penguin really hadn’t bargained on and he didn’t know what to do with it.

Tapping the edges of the letter with his fingers, Law flicked the parchment out onto his desk and linked his fingers together behind his head before leaning back, the very picture of nonchalance, “This is good news, Peng. Means the timeline gets moved up.” With Penguin actually here, it kept things in perspective so that he couldn’t get too caught up in what the letter meant.

While it would undeniably make things move much faster than anticipated, allow him direct access to the man he so desperately needed to get close to, it also meant he would have to say goodbye to his crew much sooner than he had anticipated. That wasn’t a pleasant thought. But, it was a thing that had to be done. At least they could do it on more honest terms, now.

“Uh…” clueless and a little scared, Penguin did his best not to fidget as he watched Law act a bit like he’d been drugged, “what’s good news?” None of them would have even considered opening the letter and reading in advance, so Penguin had no idea what Law was referencing. But the sinking feeling in his stomach told him that it wasn’t something good. 

“My dearest foster family wants me to come back ‘home’,” Law explained, eyes darting to the letter and back to Penguin’s face once more to ensure understanding as he continues to explain. “My initial plan was to join whatever research base he’s starting on Punk Hazard, prove I’m still loyal, then ask to meet him again. This letter just makes everything so much easier.”

In an almost perfect mimicry of before Penguin’s question started with a stuttered uncertainty. “Uh…” swallowing a little he shook his head, half wanting to just agree and see himself out before Law could get weirder, but knowing that he had to make his case for the rest of the crew, to remind Law of the truth, “You’re with your family. You are home. The Polar Tang’s your home, Captain. We’re your family.”

The smirk Law had worn since finishing the letter hadn’t abated. At least, until now. It didn’t disappear entirely, but instead it softened as Law nodded, “I know that.” It was genuine in a way he was certain Penguin wasn’t used to from him, considering he usually brushed off any sort of talk like that, “But he doesn’t. It’s better if he thinks I still think of the DonQuixote Family as my family. I need every advantage I can get to make him trust me.”

Swallowing a little Penguin nodded, some ease suffusing through his posture. The sincerity in Law’s voice was unmistakable and Penguin felt the tug in his chest like it was physical, strings attached to his ribs. It made him want to hug Law, but he didn’t like the idea of getting dumped in the harbor for his trouble. So he went with another, longer nod, like the acknowledgement was more for himself than anything, “So we’re going to Dressrosa. Now?”

The steady gaze between them faded, Law’s eyes growing distant just long enough to be noticeable, “...soon.” It didn’t make sense to tell Penguin the rest of the plan right now. Not when he was still so in his own head, wrapped up in the sheer luck that just fell into his lap. It would take a miracle for his entire crew to agree to head to Zou without him but that was what had to happen. His plan would never work if they were all there; they’d just be puppets for Doffy to destroy whenever he grew too suspicious. Or too jealous; Doflamingo was not a man who liked to share.

Though Penguin absolutely caught the change in Law’s gaze, he did his best to pretend it was just a change in the light and didn’t actually mean anything - he could always tell when Law wasn’t going to be forthcoming, anyway, so there was no point in prying, “Yeah, yeah, okay. Good! We should tell the crew the good news, get them excited, yeah? We’ve been working toward this for years!”

Sitting straight up again, Law let his palms drop and come to rest on his knees, knowing the movement would catch Penguin’s attention before he could leave and start telling the others all on his own, “I’ll tell them once I’ve adjusted a few things in the plan. So we have a firm direction other than just ‘go to Dressrosa.’ Keep it to yourself until then, Peng.”

Flinching a little under Law’s suddenly chilly demeanor, Penguin just nodded a little, looking down toward his feet. Something was off but he didn’t know what and that worried him so much. When things were off, sometimes Law got distant and when Law got distant, he got cold. They just seemed to be getting away from that, like edging into the territory of a summer island, and Penguin so desperately did not want to turn this ship around. 

Law knew Penguin’s tells just as much as the other man knew his. He wasn’t trying to distance himself from his second, it was just that so much had changed with the arrival of this letter that he couldn’t get out of his head long enough to have a coherent thought outside of what his next step was. 

Seeing him like that now, almost sheepish, reminded Law of what his next step should be. So much of this had been done on his own; his plans and back-ups had been of his own design, passed on to the crew at the last second without the input of anyone else. It had worked so far, but it had also distanced him from everyone else. Especially considering how little time they had left together, Law recognized it was time for that to change. 

“Why don’t you and Shachi and Bepo have breakfast with me tomorrow. I need… to think things through, but tomorrow I’ll be better at communicating like a person. Deal?” Law smiled a little, and was almost relieved at how easily it came to him now; a genuine smile that wasn’t forced, that didn’t feel foreign. He really was changing at a rapid pace; he just hoped he wasn’t becoming so soft he wouldn’t be able to follow through on his final goal.

Though Penguin did feel cowed, Law’s unexpected offer put a little perk back in his attitude. Looking up at his captain he nodded, Law’s smile further easing some tension from his frame, “Okay. What time…?” The other two would be so happy that Law invited them for breakfast - at least he got to share that good news.

Though it was already late, Law knew he wouldn’t sleep much. He didn’t want to prevent the other three from having a restful night by calling them to breakfast too early, so he mulled over the question for a moment before answering, though it came out as more of a question, “Nine?” This whole trying to include others in decision making was going to take some time to figure out…

Though Shachi was usually up by six, nine suited Penguin just fine. He hated early mornings. Nodding his agreement he finally returned Law’s smile, happy to see his captain, well, happy, “Okay. In the mess, or here?” With the conversation they were going to be having, Penguin didn’t want to assume Law would be comfortable talking in the open.

“Here,” Law replied immediately, then actually looked around his room. Thanks to his power, tidying things up had always been easy, he just… hadn’t. In a long time. It wouldn’t be too hard to rearrange things to fit them all comfortably, it would just take effort and acknowledgement that it needed to be done in the first place, “I’ll… make it more comfortable for the rest of you.”

Penguin basically tripped over his words, metaphorically speaking, in his rush to reassure Law that he didn’t have to do anything special for them before inflecting too hard on a sharp “t” and watching little flicks of spit fly across the room. After that he just sheepishly nodded and looked anywhere but Law, rocking on his heels, “Thanks, Captain.”

Snorting in amusement, Law leaned away comically far, another smirk on his face but this time it was teasing and not the strange, almost menacing expression from before. “I’ll have to warn the others to bring a poncho tomorrow morning,” he said slyly. He and Penguin used to tease each other more often, when Law was still a teenager. He had a sharp tongue, but once Penguin had gotten to know him, he started giving as good as he got. It was like a game between them and most of the time it cheered Law up. It was just further proof that Law had gotten too far removed from his friends.

“They already know that, Captain,” feeling a little giddy with Law’s teasing - even if the comment did make him redden a little - Penguin took his shot at giving what he got, “gotta prep for when you’re feeling like a rain cloud.” The moment the words were out of Penguin’s mouth he gasped though, eyes widening as he looked at Law in horror; how could he say something so awful, just moments after Law had brightened up, “Oh, crap, Law, Captain, I - I’m so sorry!”

Crossing his arms, Law raised an eyebrow and let Penguin panic for a moment. He was in a relatively good mood and what Penguin said was mild enough that it wouldn’t have mattered either way. Once the other man stopped speaking, Law let him sit in silence for a moment before doing probably the most childish thing he’d done in years; he blew a raspberry that was quickly cut off by a grin, “A rain cloud, huh?”

Scrambling to find the right words to defuse the situation and fix what Penguin just _knew_ was a grievous error, the shorter man didn’t exactly recognize what Law had done in response until a few long, delayed seconds later. Staring at Law, Penguin blinked once, then twice before shaking his head a little as though he was certain he was seeing things, “Um… Captain… wh-what…?”

Cleaning his chin with the back of his hand, Law felt a bit foolish as his teasing clearly fell flat. “Come on, Peng,” he drawled, leaning lazily back in his chair, “lighten up a little.” He was aware of how ironic it was for him to be the one saying that to Penguin, but that was more of him poking fun at the other man than anything.

As the reality of the raspberry set in, first a little snort, then slowly but surely a full on laugh started to bubble up from Penguin’s chest. When was the last time that had ever happened, when the last time that Law had ever been so free, so silly, so easy with such a thing? By the time Penguin managed to collect himself he had tears streaming down his face and his belly hurt but when he looked up at Law it was with unbridled joy in his eyes.

Penguin’s laughter was infectious and Law felt himself chuckling along with him until the other man’s high pitched wheezy gasps for air sounded too ridiculous to keep himself in check. Law covered his mouth with his hand and turned his face away, his own laughter swallowed up by the sound of Penguin’s. He didn’t know why he felt the need to hide his amusement; it must have been another leftover instinct picked up throughout the years.

By the time he’d actually collected himself and managed to calm down, Penguin had to brace his hands on his knees to stop from toppling over. It had been a conversation of emotional whiplash, but at least that was something he was used to with Law. Gathering himself, Penguin finally stood tall and looked at his captain with so much raw fondness in his eyes, “I can’t wait for breakfast tomorrow.”

Penguin’s genuine affection made Law uncomfortable; well, it wasn’t just that... he knew that the conversation in question would be a difficult one and that made the loyalty that much harder to accept. Yet in the end, he knew he was right. His crew being present at Dressrosa was too much of a liability and he’d never be able to relax - or give the appearance of being relaxed - with them around to be used as cannon fodder. They deserved better than to die for his revenge. “Better get your beauty sleep, then,” Law teased to distract himself from the more painful thoughts their presence near Doflamingo was dredging up.

Too distracted to notice any subtle changes in Law at this point, Penguin nodded and stretched out, eyes suddenly feeling like they weighed a million pounds, “You too.” Before he left, Penguin sent one more sunshine smile Law’s way, brightening the room against the lush blanket of a cloud covered night outside, “Night.”

Law raised a hand briefly in acknowledgement before letting himself slump backward against his chair once Penguin left. Not only was he going to have to prepare to face Doffy sooner than initially planned, he was going to have to figure out the best way to convince his crew to let him go without them. 

Unsurprisingly, Law got very little sleep that night. In spite of that he felt fairly rested given the four hours of sleep he was able to manage. It was just before eight in the morning when he woke up fully and in the hour he had before Penguin, Shachi and Bepo joined him he forced himself not to overthink everything. As a distraction he stood in the shower until he couldn’t handle the sensation of weakness any longer, then busied himself with his usual mundane morning routine. By the time he was finished getting dressed, he could hear the three in the hallway approaching his room.

As the door clanged open and they all struggled to push past one another and enter the room, it was clear that they didn’t even attempt to give Law the courtesy of a knock. But it was a forgivable offense, most likely, considering how eager they all were as evidenced by the joyful shouts of greeting and news that breakfast was on the way. Though it took a few comical moments the three of them finally found their way into Law’s cabin and settled, looking expectantly at their captain. 

In his hours of brooding, Law had completely forgotten to rearrange the room. Figuring it would be best to continue the comedic interactions he and Penguin had had the night before, Law let a Room expand to encompass his quarters before lifting everything up - including his three crew members - and rearranging everything so there was more space. His bed was propped on its side against the wall, pillows and bedding in the center of the floor so they could all sit comfortably, desk, chair, and bookshelves shoved in the far corner. Penguin, Shachi, and Bepo were the final things he set down before letting his power recede once more. 

“Uh…” it was Bepo that spoke first, scratching his head absently as his stomach settled, “good job, Captain.” Shifting a little, the mink leaned back against the nearest wall and stretched his legs out, wiggling his claws as he did, “I’ve never seen this much room... in your room. But… I guess that’s the power of your Room.”

Chuckling, Law took a seat next to Bepo, propping his back against the Mink’s side. “I didn’t realize you could use the word ‘room’ that many times in one sentence,” he said, poking fun at Bepo affectionately. As Shachi and Penguin hovered, Law waved at them impatiently to sit. “C’mon, I sacrificed my pillows for your asses, you could at least be grateful.”

Bepo let Law lean into him with a soft, content little sigh, already tempted to close his eyes and nap. But Penguin had said there were important things to talk about and so he resisted the urge, reminding himself that the sunlight that made naps on the deck so wonderful couldn’t reach him here anyway. For their part Penguin and Shachi both obeyed, sinking down onto the floor to complete a lopsided little circle. It was Shachi who spoke then, eyeing Law eagerly, “Peng said you had something for us, Captain?”

Feeling suddenly put on the spot, Law sank further into Bepo’s side, “What, we’re not gonna eat first?” He knew as soon as he laid out what the next steps were, no one was going to feel like joking. Law wanted to enjoy the laid back nature of his most trusted companions a little bit before the discussion turned serious. It seemed like he’d just learned to appreciate them and now they were going to have to part ways before he could really savor it.

The rumbling, quiet voice came from above Law this time, “But it’s good news, I thought…” It was clear that Law’s current pillow was despondent at the thought of having to wait when Penguin had clearly hyped them up about whatever it was Law had to reveal. The look Shachi was giving him was equally as eager but he was quiet otherwise, Penguin looking on with hopeful confusion himself. 

“It is…” Law agreed noncommittally. It _was_ good news, for him at least. They would certainly celebrate it at first. “Don’t you three know how to be patient?” he asked, further goading them into cooperating with his delay tactics. “What’s for breakfast anyway? Did Clione figure out what to do with that weird fish Jean Bart found?”

The whine that rose from the three of them came in perfect unison, if at different pitches. It was a cacophony of response following that, the answers to Law’s questions coming in hot and fast, layered over top of one another in a jumble, _Why should we be patient?_ interspersed with _I dunno, I’m not the cook._ and _Yeah, he’s gonna cook it._ managing to all come out somewhat comprehensible, at least.

“Yeah, I kinda figured he was gonna cook it; I thought the question was _how_?” Law asked, latching onto the easiest thread of conversation left by Shachi. “Is that what he put together for breakfast?” he felt so at ease and comfortable right now, surrounded by the familiar voices of his oldest friends. Fuck, he was going to miss them. 

Heaving a rather large and dramatic sigh, Shachi made sure his point got across before finally giving in and letting Law divert the conversation, “He like… put half of it in some chili brine thing, he called it, last night, and the other half he wrapped in some leaves after he brushed this red paste over it, tomatoes and nuts and stuff I guess.” He shrugged then, noncommittal, “I guess we’ll see.”

“Heh…” Law trailed off, meeting Shachi’s gaze, puffing his cheeks up and mimicking the other man’s long sigh. “Y’sound like a puffer fish,” he drawled. None of them knew what a puffer fish sounded like, but it wasn’t difficult to imagine it would be similar to the sound he’d just made. 

Sticking his tongue out at Law, Shachi struggled and failed to find a pithy response as he cast his gaze around the room. But while he searched for a retort and only wound up muttering something about Law sounding like a camel, Bepo took over the conversation - he had absolutely found something to further the conversation, “Captain… why are your fingers striped?” He looked so genuinely confused as he pointed one long claw toward Law’s hand that the question couldn’t be mistaken for anything but genuine. 

Blinking, Law looked down at his hands, initially intending to tell Bepo there was nothing wrong with his fingers before he remembered, “Oh. Got my nails painted while I was visiting Kid.” Shifting, he leaned forward and fanned his fingers out so Bepo could get a better look, “I kinda like it.”

“Nails… painted…?” the confusion that radiated from the mink was evident as he leaned in closer to Law, blinking down at the color crisscrossing the end of his hands, “But… why?” Bepo remembered, then, that Captain Eustass always seemed to have black smudges at the end of his fingers too, but why would he have done that to his captain? Law didn’t need smudges. 

“You’re not a cub from Zou anymore, Bepo,” Law teased with good nature, wiggling his fingers at the mink before holding them out for Penguin to inspect after the other man gestured at him to do exactly that. It was with a fondness in his voice that he finished addressing his navigator, “You know about make-up and stuff like that. That’s all this is. Just… adornment..”

Frowning a little, Bepo shook his head, “I know I am not a cub.” But he left the argument at that, though the look on his face stayed stern and turned down. For his part, Penguin looked Law’s fingers up and down, studying the crisp lines and edges with something akin to a grunt of surprise. When he commented that he never expected Eustass Kid to do anything so neatly it was with a bit of derision in his tone. 

“What’s with that tone, Peng? Thought you liked Kid. Or are you still jealous because of that time he flirted with Ikkaku?” flirting wasn’t exactly what happened, but it was still fun to see his second sputter. He could be so sensitive sometimes, especially where she was concerned, “I’d be curious to see what he’d paint for you.”

Affronted and very clearly telegraphing it, Penguin almost threw Law’s hands back at their owner in his haste to stand up for himself, “She didn’t even think a damn thing about it, he isn’t even on her radar, she wouldn’t touch him with a ten foot pole!” Most days, Penguin was still pretty sure Ikkaku was out of his league and he didn’t need Law threatening that any further, “And like I’d let him paint anything on me!”

“Oh, calm down, Peng. I’m pretty sure she’d marry you if you asked her.” Law knew he could push Penguin’s buttons a little too hard sometimes, so he spared the other man a brief but genuine grin before wiggling his fingers at Shachi, “What about you? Brave enough to try it yourself?”

Penguin scoffed but settled back, crossing his arms defensively as Law’s attention turned toward Shachi. But there was a question on loop in his head, over and over, distracting him from the rest of the craziness happening around him, _Marry me? Captain thinks that Ikkaku would marry me? Marry_ me _? Should I ask her? Does she want me to ask her? I could do it, I could ask Ikkaku to be my wife…_

It wasn’t until the tone in the room suddenly got quiet that Penguin snapped out of his reverie, looking back at Law, “What did you say, Captain?” He could tell by the look on Bepo and Shachi’s face that whatever they were, Law’s words were unexpected. He better not have started sharing the details of their next adventure together without him. 

Before Law could reply, Bepo leaned in sideways toward Penguin without taking his eyes off their captain. “...Captain just said that Captain Kid is his boyfriend?” That their relationship held such depth wasn’t a surprise, really. It was more the fact that Law had admitted to it so casually that had caught them so off guard.

“Ugh,” the face Penguin pulled was comically disgusted, though he didn’t hold it for too long, as he didn’t want to make Law think he was actually dirty or something, “but he’s such a meathead!” Shaking his head, Penguin looked over to Law and frowned, tone taking on a mock motherly worry, “You’re not gonna marry him, are you?”

Leaning back on his palms, Law pretended to consider Penguin’s question for a moment before he shrugged. “Did you know, in the South Blue the most common proposal method is painting your significant other’s nails?” Lifting one hand up to inspect the paint on his fingertips carefully for a moment, Law then lifted his gaze to meet Penguin, Bepo, and Shachi’s in turn, judging their reactions with a serious expression.

The series of gasps, affronted hiccups for air, and sputtering cries of denial filled Law’s cabin from aft to stern. As all three of them fell over themselves in one way or another to tell their captain it was too soon, he wasn’t ready for such a thing yet, that was too brash a decision to make after _just_ deciding he was his boyfriend, a knock sounded at the door accompanied by Clione’s warm voice, “Breakfast is served, Captain!”

Laughing, Law gestured for one of the other three to get the food. “I can’t believe all three of you fell for that,” he sputtered between peals of laughter, “I thought for sure at least one of you would call me on that bullshit but I guess I’ve gotten pretty good at lying, huh?” 

Always the first to jump at the chance to make Law’s life easier, Bepo hefted his frame off the floor in a scramble to get the food. Forgetting - at least, for the moment - that he was Law’s leaning post, the mink managed to get the door open before he realized what happened, gasping in apology as his hands flew up to cover his mouth the second that Law topped over onto the floor, “Captain! I-I’m sorry!”

He spared a moment to wave at Clione in a gesture of thanks for the food before continuing to chuckle. “I’m fine, Bepo. I’ll survive, get breakfast before someone starves to death,” Law directed, the latter comment a jab at the sound Shachi’s stomach made in response to the smell of the offered meal.

“Oh-okay!” jumping to obey Law, Bepo collected everything from Clione and set the spread out in front of the assembled group, making sure everyone was closest to their favorite dish before settling down next to Law again. Sheepishly patting his shoulder, Bepo offered an apologetic look at his captain, as though worried Law was mad, or wouldn’t trust him as a resting place again, “I’ll sit very still…”

“I hope not,” Law replied, immediately taking him up on the offer and pressing himself against Bepo’s side once more. “If you sit still, how’re you gonna feed yourself?” he asked, reaching for one of the rice balls closest to him. It was sweet, how worried Bepo was about disturbing him, but the mink had nothing to worry about - he was still the softest, most comfortable place Law had to rest on this ship. 

Now that food had arrived, it turned out that Shachi wasn’t the only hungry one. The rest of them tucked in with a will, scarfing down Clione approved breakfast items one after another. Despite Law’s distaste for it there was plenty of bread, which the other three wasted no time in consuming as a vehicle for softly scrambled eggs, poached fish, or both. It wasn’t until most plates were picked clean - not that it took very long - before Shachi spoke again, “So, Captain… are you gonna tell us what’s up?”

There wasn’t much left he could use to delay the inevitable conversation and it wasn’t really in his nature to avoid this sort of thing anyway; he’d just wanted to enjoy a few calm moments with them before explaining everything. Law nodded toward the desk tucked against the wall on the far side of the room, where the letter from Doflamingo still sat, “I’m sure you three know about the letter I got yesterday. It’s an invitation to join my former family on Dressrosa.”

Nodding in unison, the three of them waited for more details, eyes rapt on Law as the remnants of the meal spread in front of them quickly went forgotten. They had known who the letter was from - hard not to, with that envelope, after all - and had some suspicion that it was Doflamingo doing something weird. What mattered now was the question on all their minds, the one that Bepo put a voice to, “What are we gonna do about that, Captain?”

“I’m going to take him up on it,” Law replied matter-of-factly. “It was my end goal to begin with. My intention was to work for him again at a distance to prove myself, make him come to me. I guess I’ve made enough of a name for myself that that particular step wasn’t required. So I’ll be leaving for Dressrosa soon,” he was very careful to clearly state his intentions; whether they were picking up on it or not, Law wanted it to be obvious from the start that he would be making this trip alone.

Whether or not it was because they were dense or purposefully choosing to be blind to it, one may never know, but all three of Law’s crew members nodded along in agreement, wide smiles starting to break out over their faces. Penguin spoke first, fist pumping in the air as he exclaimed, “Yeah, Captain! Finally, we’re gonna get him, we’ve been working on this for years, let’s do it!”

Keeping their hopes up would only make the whole thing that much harder so Law shook his head in response and pointedly shut down the notion that anyone would be joining him, “The Polar Tang, the crew, you three… you’ll all go to Zou. Bepo, I know you’ve been keeping a map to get back there someday. I want you to use it. Once I’m finished, I’ll join you there.”

The sheer blanket of quiet that settled over the room was so sudden and so complete it was as if all sound had been sucked from the cabin by force, the tension running thick through the walls before, just as suddenly, it descended into a total cacophony of outraged sounds, vehement denials, and one long, singular wail from the mink in question, “No! Captain, you were supposed to come with me!”

“I’ll let you show me around Zou once we meet there. I promised you that and I meant it. But you cannot come with me. None of you can.” The very idea of the torment Doflamingo would put them through at the very first inkling of suspicion had him feeling sick. Knowing what happened the last time someone he loved crossed that man - and the fact that it was kind in comparison to the things he would do to anyone other than his brother... - Law would much rather have his entire crew end up hating them than risking their safety.

“We’re your crew!” this time, the vitriolic response came from Penguin. He looked utterly wrecked at Law’s words, his hands curled tight into fists as he argued with every puff of air he had in him, “We’ve been working on this together from day one, we know how bad he is, like hell we’re letting you go there alone!” Penguin’s reaction was, perhaps, made even worse by the fact that Law had allowed him to spend the entire night thinking that whatever news they were getting today would be exciting and special. 

“Exactly. You know how bad he is. If this is going to work, I can’t bring anything or anyone with me that he can use against me. The three of you, the rest of the crew, you’re all a liability,” Law’s words lacked the barbs he had planned to use so many months ago when his first plan to force the crew away from him was through cruelty. He knew, now, that they deserved better. That didn’t mean that he was going to spare their feelings right now by sugar coating the conversation.

“You’re asking us to send you to the lion covered in steak for armor!” Shachi’s choice of metaphor may have been a little awkward, but it got his point across. He was just as incensed as the other two, refusing to just roll over and accept his captain’s insane scheme, “We are your crew! We’re your _friends!_ We agreed to fight this fight with you, that this fight was _our_ fight because we’re your _family!_ ” If he sounded a little choked up by the end of things, well… what Law was proposing was preposterous. 

“I already know what it’s like to watch my family die,” Law hissed back, “I’d like, just once, to come back to find everyone is still alive.” Maybe it was a little unfair to play that card so soon after finally telling them the truth, but it was the best hand he had. And it was true. He had no desire to see any of them in danger the way they would be if Doflamingo found them. Law was the second long-lost family member to return with the intention to betray him; however difficult it was for Cora-san, it was bound to be twice as hard for Law. He wasn’t willing to take any chances.

For all that the three of them were prepared to argue for decades, if need be, and had been building up the arguments to do just that, Law’s sharp rebuttal stopped them all in their tracks. How did they argue with that? There were a few quiet, halfhearted attempts, a shot at telling Law that they weren’t going to die, or that if he died, none of them would ever know or have been there to try and save him, but the petered out with bewildered, heart stricken sorrow. How did they protect all of Law that needed protecting? Bepo’s plaintive, confused whimper probably summed it up best, how they were feeling, “Captain…”

“If I die, then I die. I don’t want the rest of you coming with me. Going after Doflamingo isn’t about glory for the whole crew, it’s about my need to finish what Cora-san started. It’s personal and bringing you with me is selfish,” though his words were harsh, Law softened his tone considerably, doing his best to sound consoling. He didn’t want to hurt them, he just needed them to understand. 

“We know it’s not about…” but again, the argument trailed off. None of them were glory-hogs, particularly, certainly not the way one specific redhead that came to mind was, but they were and always had been hell bent on helping their captain achieve his goals. Having the opportunity to do that take away stung more than they could put into words, “... We were always supposed to help you through the end…”

Until recently, very little thought had been put into his crew’s feelings on how the final steps of his plan would go. Law always knew he would do whatever it took to keep them safe but that didn’t mean they would be happy about it. He could understand the disappointment of being left out of the final outcome they’d worked so hard for, “...Trust me. Knowing all of you are safe and far away will do more to help me than you could ever know.”

Crestfallen, stricken, brokenhearted… each of his men wore one, if not a mixture, of those looks but the verbal arguments stopped coming. They had never really been a crew that disagreed with their captain, even when he made decisions that they found questionable, and that was the case even when he did a horrible job at explaining his reasoning for anything. Now that he was being honest with them about his worries and concerns the idea of bickering over it seemed even stranger. But the way they looked at him still made it clear that they were torn up over the idea of sending him alone.

Once it became clear that they weren’t going to argue the point further, Law nodded and relaxed slightly, “I need your help with the rest of the crew. They’ll follow the three of you.” He paused again, frowning as he studied their expressions - maybe now wasn’t the best time to make them spread the news, “I will need to leave soon, but… take today, to get used to it? And then we can tell them tomorrow…” Trying to work through what was best for other people wasn’t always easy; Law could only hope that that was the right solution.

When the silence finally broke, it was clear Shachi was speaking for all of them and it was probably a good thing, too - the tears shining in Bepo’s eyes and the anger storming in Penguin’s would probably have rendered them both poor mouthpieces, “... I hate this, Captain.” Hate that you’re asking us to abandon you, our mission, the crew that we’ve built into family with you, for you, for this.

“I didn’t think any of you would like it,” Law acknowledged, sitting up a little straighter so he was no longer leaning on Bepo in case the mink needed space or to shift or something, “but you’re not abandoning me. Or the mission. I… can’t have you there. I will fail if any of you are threatened. I wasn’t able to protect the people who mattered to me before, and I won’t let that happen again. I’ll check in with you when I can until I’m able to come to Zou.”

“But now we can’t protect you,” this time, the mournful words came from Bepo, his tone shaky as he tried not to cry - it was hard to get the mats out of his fur when that happened. But he’d bleed for Law in a heartbeat, fight and hurt and die if he had to, if it meant his oldest friend and protector stayed safe and whole. Being asked to leave at a time like this, even if Law tried to say it wasn’t, reeked of abandonment to the bear, “You didn’t leave me when I was in danger…”

“I know you all would die to protect me. But this is different. I can’t do what I need to do with you there. And it’s not that I think you’d be too weak to help or…” he paused then, knowing he was starting to mash things together, and took a breath before starting over. “Doflamingo will use you against me. He’ll test my loyalty and use you to do it. I can’t be your captain on Dressrosa; I have to be his pawn. Being your captain means putting your safety above everything else and I’ve already lost if I have to do that. If I’m going to beat him at his own game, I have to put everything into deceiving him. Do you understand?” Law hoped his earnestness would pay off; he didn’t have anything else to convince them except examples of what Doffy would do to them and that wasn’t something he wanted to think about, let alone put into words.

Though they were all reticent to admit it, the silence in the room spoke for them until Penguin finally managed to find his voice to confirm, “... Yeah, Captain. We understand.” Sounding defeated and sad, Law’s second plucked at the hem of one sleeve, toying with his next thought for a second before finally deciding it was okay to put into words, “But you’re making it impossible for us to be your crew. We’re sworn to protect you, too.”

Law wanted to remind them that they were actually sworn to follow his orders, but he knew that wasn’t a fair statement. They cared too much to be mindlessly obedient and that wasn’t the point anyway. “Being as far away from Dressrosa as you can be _is_ protecting me,” he stressed. Law could see that they were starting to come around; none of them liked it, but all he needed was acceptance.

“... I don’t think I’ll ever agree with you,” this time it was Shachi, but he wasn’t being belligerent - he couldn’t even bring himself to look at Law, staring steadfastly at the floor instead. It was resignation that colored his tone, something running awfully close to the sound of defeat. Hands curled in his lap he just sighed a little then, absently rubbing his face like that would help things make more sense.

“What do you think you could do that could protect me from him?” Law asked, flatly. His intention wasn’t to be harsh, but rather to hopefully bring them to the same conclusion. Doflamingo was as successful as he was for a reason; he was powerful, but more than that he was clever and ruthless. Against him, his crew would be like waves dashing themselves against a sheer cliff face. 

“Fight back,” as though they were a hive mind - which, in this case, was an accurate description - it was Bepo that answered the question posed to Shachi, “defend you.” Simple and to the point, it hopefully shed some light on their thought process; it wasn’t that the three of them thought they were actually any threat to DonQuixote, no. But they were loyal to the last man and willing to throw down whatever it took to ensure their Captain survived for as long as humanly possible. Even if their deaths bought him only another fifteen seconds of life, it was a death worth having. 

Not for the first time, Law was baffled by the depths of their loyalty. Loyalty that he’d done nothing to earn. “This isn’t a usual fight. I’m not trying to kill him, I’m trying to dismantle his empire,” sucking in a breath through his teeth, Law felt like he was at a loss for what else to say. They would never like it, but as long as they agreed to help keep the rest of the crew in line and obeyed, that was all he could ask for.

“So would we,” though they knew they were making things harder, none of the three of them could just agree to graciously bow out. It was of paramount importance to ensure that Law understood that they wouldn’t run away, that they would fight or spy or lie or do whatever it was Law wanted to reach his end goal. There was already a sense of despondent obedience running through the room but they needed to make it clear it wasn’t given with joy.

“I know you would. But this is a case where too many people would just make it harder,” at the end of the day, even if his job was made easier by the presence of his crew, Law wasn’t willing to risk their lives. He believed that it would be easier by himself, but that was something he was willing to keep private. 

“... Permission to be dismissed, Captain,” if it sounded a little curt, it was only because Penguin was trying very hard to rein himself - and his emotions - in. He just wanted to get some privacy, head to the sparring room and kick things until he felt more in control of himself, convince the urge to yell at Law go away. 

“Don’t stand on tradition for my sake, Peng. You know I’m not that kind of captain.” In spite of all his irreverence, none of Law’s crew really had the same laid back feeling. He wasn’t really sure why that was; he wouldn’t have held against any of them if they’d just up and left. As Penguin hauled himself to his feet, Law looked at the remaining two, “You don’t have to stay either.”

That was all Shachi needed to snap upright and make it to the door almost before Penguin, though they managed to squeeze out through the narrow portal mostly in sync. Bepo stayed behind only for a moment, shooting Law the most forlorn, heartsick look before heaving his own body up and heading the same way as the rest of his crew mates. It was hard to tell at this point if they were only upset or if there was disappointment underlining their thoughts and actions too. 

As the three filtered out of his room, Law sighed and flopped onto his back, idly expanding a Room around him to rearrange his furniture into its usual state, depositing himself on the bed with little extra effort. “...that could have gone worse,” he murmured aloud to console himself. At least it hadn’t turned into a fight. There wasn’t much time before he had to leave; it would be nice to get to enjoy it.

Law was likely the only one of the four of them having any thoughts about enjoying anything. The cloud hanging over Penguin, Shachi, and Bepo’s heads was likely to stay for the long term, leaving them shivering in a fog of fear and uncertainty over their captain’s fate until the winds of fate brought either devastating news of his death or his bright, triumphant return.

It wasn’t like Law didn’t have anything to do with the silence he was suddenly faced with. It was better to start sucking up early, he figured, so he wrote a brief letter in response - just confirming that he would see Doffy on Dressrosa once he arrived. He was never one for the type of flowery language the other man seemed to prefer. The rest of the morning was filled with meticulous planning while he let his three oldest friends work through the news in their own way.

By the time lunch came and went, Law ventured out to see who he could find. If any of them weren’t hidden away somewhere, it likely meant they had processed his orders. That or they were too hungry to stay away for long. 

After a search of the Polar Tang’s public rooms that almost left Law empty handed, Shachi finally turned up in the bridge, tucked into a corner and trying to avoid having to make small talk with anyone. He was steadfastly watching the waves lap against the shore through the submarine’s small forward windows, one arm wrapped around a knee as though he needed the sensation of nearness. 

Law was not a person who started or enjoyed small talk, but Penguin and Shachi were both usually so exuberant and full of life that seeing either of them like this felt wrong. Perching on the control panel next to him, Law waited until he had his attention before speaking, “Have the three of you started burning effigies yet? I hear it’s cathartic.” 

Shachi huffed in response, like he knew it was the appropriate social cue, but there was absolutely no humor in it. Shaking his head he refused to meet Law’s eyes, choosing to rest his head on his knee instead and using it as a reason to avert his face, “No. Not my thing.” While he wasn’t trying to be short on purpose he wasn’t ready to make light of anything yet, it still hurt too badly. 

“No, you’re right,” Law agreed, still trying to lighten the mood with his usual teasing. “Somehow I ended up with a _nice_ crew.” He stressed the word nice with something like disgust, though the melodramatic way he spoke made it clear he wasn’t being serious. Law had just figured out the depths to which he cared about his crew and was having to leave them behind; he wanted their final days to be as happy as the ones he’d taken for granted. It would give him that much more motivation to come back in one piece. 

This time Shachi couldn’t even manage the polite, empty laugh from before, “Sorry, Captain. Not in the mood.” Sighing he pulled his knee in closer, as though he needed the protection. What more was there to say to Law than he already had? Even if they hadn’t been super explicit in what they had said, the sentiment was clear enough, wasn’t it?

“Look…” trailing off, Law sighed, trying to piece together the best way to say what he needed to say, “I have to start heading to Dressrosa. Soon. Don’t you think you’ll have plenty of time to be sullen and angry on the way to Zou?” He wasn’t going to get all emotional or whatever. It wasn’t like he was never coming back. It was just… having a happy send off sounded like a nice idea.

“Can I have a minute, Law?” the response was sharp, pointed in a way Shachi usually wasn’t. He was done trying to fight his captain’s decision but that didn’t mean he was ready or able to move on from the overwhelming feeling of failure it filled him with. To just agree to let Law go like that… clearly the man thought that they were all weak and useless to him, that they couldn’t even defend themselves, that they didn’t stand a chance of being an asset on Dressrosa. It hurt. It hurt more than he knew how to put into words. 

Hearing any of his crew use his name was just a reminder that they usually didn’t. It felt weirdly distant and for a moment Law wasn’t sure what to do. But they were going to react however they were going to react and trying to rush them to get to the outcome he wanted wasn’t going to make things any easier. With a belated nod, Law stood, tucking his hands in his pockets and retreating back to his own room. If Shachi wasn’t ready to talk, it was likely the other two were equally sore still. As he stood at his desk he had a painful revelation; planning to take down Doflamingo used to be something he could lose himself in for hours, if not days. But right now it didn’t have the same appeal it used to.

Luckily enough, the ring of a transponder snail broke the fraught silence hanging in the air only a few minutes later. It was late enough in the afternoon that the caller figured he had a good shot at Law answering and he’d spent the whole day trying to fend one precocious little girl from dialing the other captain herself; it was time to at least try and hope the attempt would calm her for a little while. 

A call that normally would have been welcome set Law on edge; if Doffy had mailed him something, he could certainly figure out how to get a call through to him. If not that, it was just one other set of people he was about to upset so there wasn’t much good that could come from answering. Still, he was trying to be a better person, so answer he did, “Hey.”

“Hey!” the warmth in Kid’s tone was unmistakable, came calm and casual like they’d do this for the rest of their lives. In the background, Yara could be heard demanding the phone and for a moment the conversation shifted to the two of them, Kid scolding her as firmly as he could, admonishing her to give him just a moment. 

Not that it did him any good, because the next voice that greeted Law was an equally excited, though decidedly higher pitched, squeal of joy, “Hi, Law! When can I meet your lady?” Yara had been thrumming with the knowledge that there was a female pirate just barely out of reach all morning and she wanted, so desperately, to meet her.

Law couldn’t help but crack a smile. Her words made it sound like he had some secret female lover or something and wasn’t that just an entertaining notion? “I don’t know, Yara. Ask your brother,” maybe it wasn’t fair to point out that Kid was the one keeping her from meeting the rest of Law’s crew, but in the end it was the truth. He wasn’t in the business of keeping secrets from little girls, even if it would have made Kid’s life easier if he’d come up with some clever lie.

“You little fuck…” Kid’s muttering could be heard in the background but it was mostly for show. He’d thought about it long and hard, tossing reasons to do it and reasons not to do it back and forth in his own head and with Killer (not that Killer was impressed with the idea) but at the end of the day he knew how badly Yara wanted - and deserved - to know someone like her. 

Especially considering she was starting to reach that age where woman things happened, it might be expedient to let her start forging those bonds now. And, he reasoned, if he trusted Law enough to let Yara meet him, he had to trust Law’s assessment of his own crew. His voice grew louder on the phone then, the microphone back in his own hands as he spoke, “... She gonna be safe? Keep it to herself? Be good to Yar?”

“You’ve met Ikkaku,” Law replied, reclining back against the edge of his table. “She’d be excited to meet Yara. Are we keeping your little secret from the rest of the crew, too? That… might be more difficult,” He could see why Kid would want to keep Yara’s existence to himself; the fewer people who knew about her meant there were fewer people who could hurt her. But at this point it was more of a hindrance than anything if their two crews were to really unite. Some day.

Groaning a little, Kid scrubbed at his face because he knew the question was a fair one, even if he wanted to deny it. It was just so hard to trust anyone with her, much less an entire other pirate crew. But… Law knew and that meant if things went sour between him and Kid, she would be in just as much danger either way, “... I don’t know. Fuck. Fuck, Law.”

“Now doesn’t seem to be an opportune time for that,” Law chided, halfheartedly teasing. Kid was likely to take it even worse than his crew had, and given how excited Yara had been to meet him and now Ikkaku, he couldn’t imagine she’d take it any better. “Why don’t you both come visit today? It’ll be…” Fun? Not likely, not with the way Penguin, Shachi, and Bepo were sulking, “Safe.”

“Come visit. Today,” sounding unsurprisingly dubious, Kid hesitated for a minute as he considered that. Was he stupid enough to take Yara into the heart of another pirate captain’s territory, onto his actual ship, surrounded by his crew? It held the potential of walking into a death trap but even as he had that thought Kid had to chide himself for it - how many times had he fallen asleep in the Polar Tang without enough sense to even consider constructing some kind of guard mechanism? 

They wouldn’t be staying the night, Law already knew about her and he was the biggest danger anyway, and Kid knew that he and Yara both really wanted to see Law. With the way Yara was already excitedly shouting her agreement to Law, Kid knew he had to bend, at least a little. She was getting older, “... Yeah, okay, but I’m fucking serious, Law…”

“Look, I may be a raging asshole, but my crew is level-headed. Nice, even, for a pirate crew. I bet Yara would love to meet Bepo, too,” Law had noticed a trend whenever they went to a port where there was a larger population of children; they all stared in wonder at his navigator. It usually made poor Bepo self conscious, but of the children that were brave enough to talk to him, he’d come to enjoy the attention. It might help lift his spirits some to meet Yara.

“Yeah, I wanna meet Bepo!” the excitement in Yara’s voice was so bouncy and infectious that it practically telegraphed her hopping up and down on the balls of her feet next to her brother and stealing the conversation at every possible moment. Kid’s exasperated sigh was his only acknowledgement of Law’s words, but it was enough - he wasn’t arguing, after all.

“You don’t even know who Bepo is;” Law said, the playful tone coming more easily when addressing her, “I’ll wait for you on the dock. We can have dinner together.” It was strangely easy to accommodate Yara; it was an instinct buried almost twenty years, but still there nonetheless, “Are you going to leave now?”

Yara’s exuberant cries of agreement almost drowned out Kid’s more measured response, but luckily he was practiced at projecting through Yara when need be, “In a little bit. Gotta just update Kill and get some stuff together.” He loved the idea of dinner, maybe even on said dock, enjoying the sunset with his boyfriend and his sister, and just hoped Killer wouldn’t skin him alive for going before he could even get there.

“See you soon, then,” Law replied before hanging up. Yara’s yelling came across the line oddly modulated by the snail; it was starting to hurt his ears. It wasn’t nearly as bad in person. Finding Ikkaku and explaining the impending visit would give him something to do to pass the time, so he pushed himself to his feet once more, wandering the interior of the Polar Tang to find her.

For her part, Ikkaku could be found out of doors most times the option was available to her. Perched - or rather, dangling from - the rigging, she lounged in the late afternoon sun and watched the birds fly by. She’d tried to spend the afternoon with her boyfriend, but he’d been sullen so she was letting him sulk. Ikkaku knew she’d wind up finding out what upset him sooner or later. 

Law realized as soon as he saw her that this was the first place he should have looked. With a brief flash of blue, Law disappeared from the deck and reappeared on the yardarm a few feet away. “Hey,” he greeted briefly, wondering how much of this morning’s conversation she’d heard from Penguin. Angry or not, he wasn’t the type to share information like this out of turn, but with their relationship Law couldn’t be sure if that held true for Ikkaku. 

“Hey,” her response was easy and unguarded, her demeanor unperturbed as she swung herself upright a few moments later. Righting herself on the yardarm and sitting straddle across it, she faced her captain and watched him for a moment before speaking, “Take it some bad news is coming, huh?” While it was true Penguin didn’t tell her anything, it only took two minutes in his presence to figure out that whatever had upset him was something big. 

“That’s a matter of opinion, I suppose,” Law replied, purposefully vague. His ideal would be to have Bepo, Penguin, and Shachi on his side when he announced the next steps to the crew and he was still holding out that might happen before tomorrow. They would have to start making preparations so he could leave with enough time to get to Dressrosa.

“So that’s a yes,” while she was respectful of her captain, Ikkaku wasn’t afraid to call it like she saw it. Her words were followed with a shrug, “We’ve weathered bad news before.” While she wasn’t necessarily excited to find out what this bad news was, she’d rather know sooner than later so she could start handling it but she knew Law would tell them when he was ready and not a moment before. 

Humming in vague agreement with her assessment, Law let silence pass between them for a moment. It was a bad look to try and change the subject suddenly with something as delicate like this, but she seemed content enough to let things lie, so he moved on with what grace there was to be had, “We’ll be having visitors soon. Someone who’d like to meet you, in particular.”

Huffing out a little laugh under her breath, Ikkaku turned her attention from the sea to her captain, deadpan as she responded, “That sounds ominous.” Though she’d have to admit her interest was piqued - she was nobody important on the Polar Tang and there was no reason for anybody to care about her in particular, “You gonna tell me who?”

“No,” Law replied simply, wearing an enigmatic smile, “you’ll see when they get here.” Law had no idea whether or not Ikkaku felt stifled being surrounded predominantly by men. He couldn’t say if she’d be excited at the prospect of meeting another female, especially a little girl. But, he could imagine she would enjoy the encounter and he could only hope he’d be right.

“Aye aye, Captain,” always one who’d found it easy to roll with the punches, Ikkaku nodded before swinging herself back down against the yardarm, hanging from her knees to watch the sunlight ripple across the water. If he wanted to be all weird and secretive that was fine; at the very least, she wasn’t going to give him the pleasure of getting her all squirrly with it. 

There was something nagging Law that he wanted to say and he held back for a few minutes while he mulled over whether or not now was the time. But given the sped-up time frame he had to work with, he knew he may not have another opportunity to speak with her like this. “Ikkaku,” he began, waiting to continue until he had her attention. “...I know you will anyway, but keep an eye on Penguin in the coming months. This news is going to affect him more than anyone else and he can be a little mean when he’s under a lot of stress. ...just make sure he remembers to take care of himself.”

Though she didn’t swing herself back up to look at Law, it was clear he had her attention from the immediate response, “You think I don’t know how to handle my boyfriend, Captain?” She was being a little irreverent on purpose - Law sounded so serious and with what he just said about this thing affecting Penguin, well… he was going to alarm her if he wasn’t careful, so she did her best to offset the tension. 

“I’m sure you can,” he agreed. “It’s just that you’ve been close to him when things are relatively laid back. I’m not so sure you’ll know how to handle him as acting Captain.” Law knew he was essentially telling her everything, but the whole crew would know soon anyway. Besides, it was his way of trying to take care of Penguin while he was gone. Ikkaku didn’t know all of his edges, and he wanted to give her a heads up in case it would help her be more forgiving in the event Penguin acted out in ways he used to when they were still teenagers.

 _Acting Captain_ the words sank in immediately and she went quiet, piecing together the puzzle - Law got a letter from DonQuixote, Penguin’s suddenly going to be acting captain… it wasn’t that hard to make assumptions from there. The air of solemnity that settled over her was sharp and sudden, filling the space between them as she tried to decide what to say. 

Law could read her change of posture immediately; the lines of her shoulders, the rigidity of her fingers against the rope she’d been dangling near. He knew she wasn’t pleased with the news, but they also weren’t particularly close. Law hoped that she wouldn’t take it so hard. “You can say it,” he murmured, wondering if she could get whatever it was off her chest sooner rather than later.

There were a few more moments of silence before Ikkaku finally landed on her words, voice slow and measured as she spoke, “Nothing to say, Captain. Your decision is your decision.” She didn’t like it, that much was true, but she wasn’t going to argue about it; clearly Penguin had already tried and if he couldn’t change Law’s mind what in the world would make her think she could?

That seemed almost too easy, but Law wasn’t going to question it. At least she was one less person he’d have to work to convince. “He cares a lot for you, you know,” Law said then, changing the subject once more, a smile working its way back to his face. He wasn’t teasing, not really; more like testing her to see if he could make her uncomfortable, “If anyone can keep his head on straight, it’s you.”

Perhaps one of the most unflappable people on Law’s crew, a few mushy comments on her relationship certainly wasn’t going to get to her. Cool as a cucumber, her response came pitched just loud enough to be heard over the wind thrumming through the rigging, “I know.” She and Penguin had been working well so far; she balanced out his emotions and he doted on her. Certainly Law leaving against Penguin’s will would make him harder to handle but Ikkaku wasn’t afraid of that.

“Heh. You two aren’t much alike when it comes to these kinds of conversations,” Law observed and left it at that. Penguin would talk himself in circles if Law had said something similar to him about Ikkaku, but he knew her well enough to have anticipated the potential of a different reaction. There was a dark shape coming into view from the direction of Kid’s island, cutting fluidly through the water and heading their direction. “Our mystery guest will be here soon,” he mused to himself, watching with mounting anticipation as the boat grew closer and closer to shore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's definitely con time guys. Sorry this is late. The likelihood of another chapter before the second weekend in August is not good, but we will try! 
> 
> We hope you enjoy!


	34. The Lady Pirates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *DEEP EXHALE*
> 
> OK everyone, now that life is back to normal, we will be back to our regular weekly posting schedule!! Thank you all for sticking with us, I hope this chapter was worth the wait!

The entirety of the boat ride from the island she’d come to consider her new home to the shore where Law’s submarine was docked, Yara was incapable of sitting still. At first, she’d insisted on helping row but the monotonous, difficult work wasn’t enough to hold her attention for long. She took to spotting for fish swimming near the surface, entertaining herself with her attempts to catch them bare-handed. When those efforts proved fruitless, she paced the width of their little boat, peppering questions at her brother with barely enough time in between for him to answer.

“Is Law’s crew tough? Are they nice? Is the lady pirate pretty? Could she beat you up?” Yara paused in her questioning when she realized they’d gotten near enough to make out shapes on the deck of the Polar Tang, eyes going wide in hope, “ _Ohmygod_ , Kid, is that them!?!”

While Kid had been about to very pointedly respond to Yara’s question of strength with a rather aggressive _no_ , the sudden change in topic made him crack a smile; Yara was so cute when she was excited, “I dunno, Sprout, is it a giant yellow metal monstrosity?” While he could appreciate the engineering in Law’s ship, Kid would never forgive him for the color.

“I _know_ what his ship looks like, dummy, I saw it from the portholes. I mean them!” Yara explained impatiently before thrusting her finger out to gesture at the outline of the two sitting on the yardarm. “That looks like fun, I wanna sit up high like that, do you think I can climb all the way up there?” she asked eagerly, eyes shining with excitement. Yara had wondered what Law and the rest of his crew were like for so long that the prospect of getting to meet them all was almost overwhelming.

Turning over his shoulder to look at where Yara was gesturing, Kid’s answer came whip fast as soon as he saw where the other two were located, “Absolutely not!” He’d taken her into the rigging before, but always attached to him in some way to ensure her safety. Like hell he was going to let her climb all the way up to a yardarm by herself, much less than hang out on it like it was a chair. He was also going to have to yell at Law for giving her that idea. But that was for later, “Yeah… looks like them.”

Yara knew by now not to outwardly argue whenever Kid told her not to do something she’d already decided she was going to do. Better to let him forget about it and just do it when he wasn’t looking. “Go faster, Kid! I wanna be there already!” Yara felt herself squeeze her fists tight, trying to suppress the urge to jump up and down - rocking the boat like that would only slow them down.

“Going as fast as I can woman, jeesh…” mumbling under his breath, Kid continued to pull them smoothly through the water. He couldn’t fault Yara for wanting to rush; he knew how important meeting Ikkaku was to her, the “lady pirate” was all she’d talked about since she’d first found out about her existence. Kid just hoped that Ikkaku would live up to Yara’s lofty expectations. 

In the time it took Kid to row to shore and tie their little boat to the dock, Law and Ikkaku had climbed down to the deck of the ship themselves. Leaning over the railing, Law saluted the siblings lazily as they approached. “Hey. Want to get up here the express way?” he asked, smirking a little; he already knew what Yara’s answer would be, the soft blue of his Room extending out from him to engulf Kid and Yara.

Knowing he wouldn’t be heard over the excited clamor of Yara’s agreement, Kid settled for shooting Law the most sullen, unimpressed look in his arsenal even as he stoically allowed the light to surround him. Of course the little redhead was going to get what she wanted but Kid did not have to be happy about it, holding her close to him and closing his eyes in preparation for Law’s disorienting method of transportation. 

It was easy enough to transpose Kid and Yara’s positions to the deck of the Polar Tang, the Room fading upon their arrival. Ikkaku, not knowing the purpose of her involvement in the visit, hung back a bit. Leaning against the railing of the ship, she raised one hand in greeting. “Hey, Captain,” she greeted Kid warmly before her gaze shifted to the little girl he’d brought with him, “She must be yours?”

Nodding his head in greeting, Kid opened his mouth to respond to the question (and the sensation he had that there was an unspoken accusation Yara was his daughter instead of his sister) but before he could get a word in edgewise that aforementioned sister took making introductions upon herself. Running up to Ikkaku, Yara skidded to a stop in front of her and flashed her the biggest smile possible before proudly proclaiming, “I’m Eustass Yara, one of the Kid Pirates! I’m a lady pirate too, like you! Hi!”

Feeling her initial curiosity about the mysterious child immediately morph into endearment, Ikkaku crouched down so she was at Yara’s level. How could she not like this precocious kid who called herself a lady pirate? “Hi, Yara. I’m Ikkaku. It’s nice to meet you,” she said, holding out a hand in greeting like she would anyone else.

Though Yara wanted nothing more than to launch forward into a hug with her new idol, she managed to restrain herself - with visible effort - and instead thrust her hand out to shake Ikkaku’s with as much adult force as she could muster. “Law told me about you! That he had a girl on his crew! That’s so cool, I’ve never met another girl pirate, how long have you been a pirate, did you grow up on the water, how did you become part of Law’s crew, do you know any other girls like us?” the questions came in fast and furious, with all the energy a nine year old body could hold. 

Deciding it would be more comfortable to just sit on the deck, Ikkaku slid down the rest of the way and crossed her legs. She understood the excitement; there were so few women she’d come across on the sea, “There are a few other girls I know of. One of them is a pirate captain, even. I did grow up on the water; my father was a fisherman. I became part of Law’s crew by asking him if I could join him.” 

“Yeah,” the thrill of excitement running through her, Yara bounced up and down on the balls of her feet as she responded, “Jewelry Bonney! But Kid says we can’t like her because she’ll get in the way. But I can like you ‘cause you belong to Law!” Whirling around, Yara allowed herself to be distracted from Ikkaku just long enough to shout at the man in question, “She’s pretty! You have a pretty girl on your crew! I like her!”

“Yeah, that’s probably true,” Ikkaku agreed before Yara spun around. She chuckled at the girl’s enthusiasm, but her expression was a bit more on the serious side once Law acknowledged Yara and she turned back around. “You know, being pretty is nice, but that’s not the most important thing to be,” it felt a little bit like her duty to make sure Yara knew she’d need to prioritize being smart if she wanted to get by as a female pirate. Kid would certainly teach her to be strong, but in her experience even that wouldn’t guarantee success.

Sighing a little, Yara resisted the urge to roll her eyes, “I know! We gotta be strong and smart and stuff. But Kid talks all about that and I NEVER get pretty stuff! Except Killer’s hair, but he always hides it with his helmet!” Looking up at Ikkaku, Yara put on her best hopeful pout and rocked back and forth on her heels, “Can I paint your nails and you can tell me about stuff?”

With a laugh, Ikkaku supposed if Kid had all the other important bases covered, there was no harm in indulging Yara in the pretty side, even if femininity wasn’t exactly her strong suit, “Yeah, sure. I’ll tell you whatever you want to know.” Standing then, she extended a hand for Yara and lead her below deck to a place more suited to painting nails. 

From the side, Law watched them go then turned to Kid, “Well. That went well.” Ikkaku wasn’t exactly known for her skill with children, but he supposed Yara was old enough and rather unusual, as far as kids went, to engender a different reaction than most. At least they both seemed content for the time being. 

Though he was a bit apprehensive to let Yara disappear below deck without him, Kid held himself back from running after her. If he trusted Law, he had to trust his crew. Of course, immediately following that thought the name _Blackbeard_ floated through his mind, but the redhead did his best to ignore it. “Yeah. Yara’s kinda got some weird power with people.” Pushing himself off the railing, Kid went to Law and wrapped his arms around the other man’s waist, “Now what?”

It would be easy to pretend he didn’t have bad news to deliver; just spend what might be his last day with Kid being happy so that he had a good memory to depart with. But Law had learned better. He sighed slightly, trying not to let on to the fact he had that bad news to share. Pushing himself up to close the distance between them, he kissed Kid briefly before turning out of his hold to head below deck himself. “Come with me. I have something to tell you.”

“Oh,” blinking after Law and frowning slightly, Kid touched his lips briefly before responding, “I don’t like the sound of that.” But he followed dutifully, descending below deck and trailing after Law. As they moved he dragged his fingers lightly along the walls, feeling a little more stable with the reliable, safe sensation of metal against his fingertips. 

Flashing Kid a grin over his shoulder as he led the way, Law reached out to link his fingers through the hand Kid was trailing along the wall. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to break up with you, if that’s what you’re thinking.” Irreverent as always, Law did what he could to put the redhead at ease, at least for now.

Though Kid’s scoffed response tried to telegraph distaste in Law’s assumption, the way his shoulders relaxed belayed the worry - however silly - that he’d been carrying. Letting Law lift his hand away from the wall, Kid paused a beat before speaking, “That would have been a dick move with Yara here.” 

“Mmh, I’m an expert at those,” Law observed. Upon reaching his own quarters he pushed the door open and tugged Kid inside before crossing the threshold himself and locking the door behind him. It made sense to keep anyone else out and potentially, for an extra moment anyway, Kid in. The appeal of having a relationship to come back to was not lost on him.

“Out with it,” though he felt reassured that Law wasn’t about to end things, it didn’t mean Kid wasn’t still feeling anxious. The whole locked door thing wasn’t a good sign, usually. Turning to face Law the younger man waited, fingers twitching as he resisted the urge to cross his arms. Whatever it was, he just wanted to hear it.

“Sit down, would you? Don’t try to be all menacing, I’m not about to tell you anything you don’t already know,” Law sighed, sitting on the edge of his bed in the hopes that the other man would follow his lead. There was nothing about this news that Kid shouldn’t be prepared for; he had been honest about his plans, it was just that the invitation to Dressrosa had come much sooner than he anticipated. The only thing that changed was his timeline. There was no reason for either of them to be so nervous.

Though Kid frowned at the words he didn’t fight the request, moving to sit at Law’s side. Swallowing down his nerves, Kid took a deep breath and watched Law carefully for a few moments, trying to be patient as he waited for his answer. He wasn’t able to maintain that for very long, “Okay. Out with it!”

At this point, there was nothing to do but launch right into it, “I’m leaving in a few days. Probably two. I got an invitation to go right to Dressrosa from Doffy himself, and he wants me there as fast as possible.” Speaking the truth might have been easier if Kid had been the first one he told. He wasn’t under the impression he’d be going along for the ride, so logically he’d take the news better. Law was still wondering if Penguin would ever forgive him for leaving the crew behind. 

“... Did you?” the moment Law spoke, a million thoughts and questions started running through Kid’s head. The invitation from DonQuixote had to have come because Law earned Warlord status, that made sense. And of course Law was leaving soon, it was his life’s goal to destroy the man, after all. Blinking a little, Kid waited for another moment, to see if Law was going to add anything, before questioning again, “Okay. Duh. And?”

Chuckling, Law let himself fall backwards until he was flat on his back, curling one arm over his face so it was hidden in the crook of his elbow. Of course it would be this easy. He worried over nothing. “And nothing,” he replied, the words somewhat muffled around the fabric of his hoodie. “I’m just leaving soon and I… thought I should say goodbye.”

 _Goodbye._ For a moment, Kid could have sworn he heard buzzing in his ears, confusion rushing to fill the void as he processed all of what Law said. _Goodbye._ To be fair, he’d always known that Law would go after DonQuixote, of course he’d known. They’d talked about it. It just seemed… far off. Kid had never really thought about it. Yeah, they’d part ways eventually but… _Goodbye_ meant they would part ways now. Not later. Right now. “Oh…” frowning a little, Kid puzzled at Law for a moment before words came again, out into the air before Kid even realized what he was saying, “No. I’m going with you.”

The laughter stopped immediately and Law let his arm drop so he could push himself up onto his elbows. “Yeah, real funny,” Law scoffed, “here I am trying to be a good… whatever, say goodbye so I can leave with a clear conscience and you’re gonna make jokes.” This couldn’t happen again; his crew had an obligation to listen to him even when they didn’t like it but Kid didn’t. There was no reason for him to come, it didn’t make sense.

Though he hadn’t thought it through, hadn’t expected to say it, hadn’t even planned for it at all, Kid felt a stubborn insistence take hold at Law’s protest, “I’m serious.” While he had reasons to stay, of course - Yara, his own crew, finding the Poneglyphs - with Killer at the helm all those things would be well taken care of. But going after a Warlord… hell, that’s how he’d continue to make a name for himself. He’d run from the admirals on Sabaody. This was the perfect opportunity to show that wouldn’t happen again. 

“...why would you come with me? There’s nothing in it for you, and you have your own crew. You’re not going to abandon them, and they sure as hell aren’t coming to Dressrosa for this,” all the same arguments from before sprang to mind and Law felt suddenly attacked. He was prepared for Kid to be upset he was leaving so soon and with such little warning, but not to launch into all the reasons he couldn’t come with him. It wasn’t a conversation Law ever saw the two of them having.

“Fucking over a Warlord’s in it for me,” that response came easy. Just as fluidly, others slid into place behind it, though Kid knew that Law would protest at the idea Kid wanted to come to help protect him with even more fervor. Not that it mattered, Kid would win, “Killer’s ready for acting captain, it’ll be good for him. The Rose and all hers will be safe.”

“My plan doesn’t have room in it for you,” Law replied flatly. “My own crew isn’t coming. I’m going by myself. That’s how it has to be. You being there will just complicate things.” The words were, perhaps, more harsh than he intended; the whole point of bringing him here was to avoid a fight, after all. But there was no was Law could let Kid entertain the idea. It couldn’t end well.

“Then change the plan,” set in his plans, Kid gave in to the urge to cross his arms and did so with aplomb, as though he was taking on the role of superior officer. Immovable object meets an unstoppable force, perhaps, but Kid knew where Law was going. The scrawny man couldn’t stop him from following even if he tried, “You going alone is a death wish.”

“No. You coming with me is a death wish,” Law snapped in response, pushing himself up until he was seated again, “I can’t change the plan. There is no room in it for you or anyone else. I need to be focused, and I can’t if I’m constantly wondering how you being there is going to fuck it up.” 

“Bad plan if you can’t adapt it,” the fact that Law was fired up and perhaps angry was more than clear, but Kid didn’t take the bait. He knew enough by now to know that this was just how Law got; he could deal with that. But he was persistent and stubborn and doing this thing together - or rather, refusing to let Law do it completely alone - took root in his soul as something completely necessary, “How will I fuck it up?”

“He is already suspicious of me. Bringing someone else from the outside will make that worse. He’ll test my loyalty by putting you in danger.” Law paused, then, knowing that if anything Kid was attracted to danger rather than put off by it, “What makes you think I want you to come if my own crew is being left behind? This isn’t your fight.”

“Ditching your crew is what’s gonna make it super weird, actually,” Kid countered, giving Law a look, “since they helped you get all those hearts and you’re a pirate _captain_ and everything. Or you were, until you tossed them.” And, of course, Law’s estimation of the joy Kid found in danger was correct, “An’ it’s not like I think it’ll be fucking sunshine and painted nails, Law. You’re mine. And the other way around. That’s what we agreed on. So it is my fight.”

“No, it’s not. I became a pirate to earn my way back to him, and now I don’t need them anymore. That’s the story and you being there is going to be complicated. I’m supposed to be loyal to _him_ , that’s the whole idea.” Lately, Kid’s earnestness about their relationship and the fact that he had finally found a place to belong had resonated with Law on a level he still wasn’t comfortable with but mostly appreciated. But right now, it filled him with anxiety. Doffy would take away someone else he loved if he let him.

Shaking his head, Kid refused to back down, “Then we edit the story until I fit. Make me a fucking present to your lord and master, I don’t give a shit, or the loyal idiot in love you strung along.” For a while, Kid was fairly certain he’d played that role for real, so he would have a basis for how to fake it. Law could decide Kid was toast on a tree, for all the redhead cared, as long as it meant he was going along. Because something deep in his gut was telling him that if he let Law go alone, his psycho surgeon would never come back.

“No. He will hurt you, he will use you to test me, and enough people have died for my sake,” Right now, there was nothing Law could see except all the ways it could go wrong. All the ways someone else would end up with six bullets to the chest for trying to protect him. It was the worst possible outcome.

“Do I look like a bitch?” though the question was serious, Kid’s tone and the way he elongated some words made it clear he was also trying to relieve some of the tension and hopefully make Law smile, at least a little. He knew that he’d be walking into the gaping jaws of danger but Law was going to do that anyway. Kid refused to let him go alone, “He’ll hurt you too. Even if I’m not there. You’re not going alone.”

“He won’t kill me. He needs me alive. He doesn’t need you,” this argument was so tiresome. All Law really wanted was to get the bad news out of the way, have some fantastic goodbye sex, and figure out how the hell he was going to get to Dressrosa without a ship. There was no way to relieve the tension between them unless Kid agreed to keep his distance.

Realizing that his sensible arguments weren’t going to get him anywhere, Kid decided to take a page out of Yara’s playbook - stubborn, childish defiance. It worked for her more often than it should, perhaps it would work for Law too. “Take me with you or don’t. I’m still going. Either we go together and have that whole trip to figure out a cover or I go after you and wildly proclaim my love on the shores of Dressrosa and you deal with that.”

“Do you want me to fail?” Law demanded, jaw clenched as he turned to face Kid fully, “because that’s what you coming with me will set me up for. Failure. You don’t even know how you’ll beat him!” However stubborn Kid thought he could be, when it came to his plans on Dressrosa, Law knew he had the edge. 

Shaking his head, Kid stood his ground. Letting Law go back to that psycho alone meant that he’d succeed, for sure, but likely at the reckless cost of his life and Kid wasn’t about to let that happen. “Look, you can shake your crew off because they have to follow your orders. I don’t. You go to Dressrosa alone, you’re not coming back!”

“That’s a risk I’m willing to take! The plan was never to beat him by force, and you don’t have the patience to sit and wait as long as it might take. Not to mention the fact that all your strength and ability means nothing against his power should it come down to a fight. Do you even know what he can do?” Frustrated and scared, Law couldn’t understand why Kid was so insistent on this. If Law’s plan worked the way he wanted it to, there would be little documentation of his involvement. 

“Well good for you, because I’m not!” at this point, Kid was in full on bull mode, refusing to even acknowledge that there was some truth to Law’s words - it wouldn’t do him any good, right now, it would just embolden Law to argue further. While he had heard Law’s other questions, the answers didn’t matter right now. What they’d be going up against didn’t matter. Not letting Law suffer or die alone, that was the only thing on his mind. 

“It isn’t up to you!” Law wanted to shove him away, wanted to put as much distance between them as he could, to piss Kid off enough that he didn’t think Law was worth following. But that wouldn’t work. It hadn’t in the past and it wouldn’t now, “My plan to take him down isn’t for glory. If I have my way, I won’t get any recognition for it so there isn’t anything in this for you. You have your crew. You have your sister. I am not more important than her.”

“No, but you’re still mine, just like her! I don’t ditch what’s mine to fight on its own!” hot under the collar, Kid felt his ire rising. What about this was so hard for Law to understand? Maybe they weren’t as close as he’d… No. He wasn’t going down that train of thought again, “Are we fucking together or are we just fucking? Because if we’re what we said we were, we do shit together. That’s the point. That’s what having a, a… relationship, or whatever the fuck you wanna call it, always was to me!”

“Don’t you dare fucking question that, Kid,” Law hissed, expression darkening further. He wouldn’t have admitted to being in love with the mad redhead if he didn’t mean it. They wouldn’t be having this conversation if he didn’t mean it, “You wanna protect me. I get it, and I… it means something to me that you’d want to come. But I want to protect you too. I can’t do that if you come with me.”

“And I can’t do it if I don’t go,” forcing himself to breathe, Kid drew air into his lungs and held it until he felt calmer. Maybe not calm, but calmer, “What are you worried about? Let’s fucking talk about it, try to figure shit out instead of stonewalling.” A conversation would be better than yelling, at the very least. If they could manage it.

“You were never supposed to come, that’s the point!” Breathing out in frustration, Law bent forward as though curling in on himself could somehow stop the emotion from overflowing. He didn’t know how to make Kid understand if what he already said hadn’t been explanation enough, “I told you what I’m worried about. He is already suspicious of me. He’ll use you against me, to test me.”

Knowing he was the one being pushy, Kid did his absolute best to hold on to what little patience he had, “Yeah. But we haven’t tried to figure it out yet. Why’s he gonna be suspicious of you? Just because you’d spent those months with your Cora-san?” Hopefully asking questions, getting some clarity, would help them both sort through things. 

“More than that, I’m the second person who’s left the family and returned after thirteen years. After what happened with Cora-san, there’s no way he’s going to just trust that I’ve been working in his interest to come back to him, no matter what I say,” breathing out again, Law found it easier now that Kid wasn’t just being stubborn. Maybe a more thorough explanation would get through his thick skull, “He wants me to come back because my power is useful to him, so he’s willing to take the risk, but I’m going to have to work harder than Cora-san did.”

That didn’t seem like an insurmountable hurdle to Kid, though he didn’t verbalize as much quite yet. “Useful how? You’re gonna pretend you’re going back just to be a lacky, a crew member? That doesn’t make sense…” Kid wasn’t even trying to be stubborn or obtuse with these questions - that part of the plan literally seemed silly to him, something to be seen through immediately. Who would give up an entire crew, the title of Captain, just to go work for their old mob boss?

Scrubbing at his face, Law realized that not everyone knew that “Family” wasn’t just a fancy title for the DonQuixote crew; it was something Doffy took seriously, “Well, my power is useful. But beyond that, I was part of his family for three years before I went missing. He wanted me to be one of his executives, and he decided that when I was just eleven. It’s like you and your sister; if you were separated, wouldn’t you do anything to get her back no matter how long its been?”

“Yeah, but she’s my sister. He killed a man you seemed t’love,” uncrossing his arms, Kid reached out for Law and closed the gap between them, pulling the smaller man in against his chest. The physical contact would help keep them steady, he hoped. And, yet again, that nagging feeling rose at the back of his skull - he’d be in the same boat Law was thirteen years ago if he let him go alone. 

“...before he killed Cora-san, I loved Doffy, too,” Law murmured, muffled against Kid’s chest as though he didn’t want his shameful secret to be known. They had a lot in common, even now; they were fueled by hatred and wanted nothing more than to see the rotten world burn around them. Not to mention Doffy had given him a sense of family once more, had nurtured his innate curiosity and believed that a dying ten year old boy could still be strong. If he hadn’t killed Cora-san… Law would probably still be loyal to him. 

Blinking a little, Kid processed that nugget of information and considered the different ways he could respond for a few moments before actually doing so, “Yeah, but he did that. Killed him. And if you go alone, I’m gonna spend, what… months, years, my whole life…?” Kid had to pause for a moment against the shudder working its way through him at the thought, “Wonderin’ if he killed somebody I love too. Don’t make me thirteen year old you.”

“You wouldn’t be,” Law insisted, “you have a family. A place to call home. I had nothing. That’s not a fair comparison.” He wasn’t trying to deny that losing a loved one regardless of the circumstances was hard. But that didn’t make the two situations the same, “I don’t know how I’d live with myself if he killed you too.”

“Yeah I do but you’re part of it,” Kid may not exactly make a big deal out of it, but his chosen family meant just as much to him as the crazed Warlord’s did to him. He wasn’t going to push Law on the similarities, he knew there was much more to the other man’s childhood experiences that didn’t match up, but the general point stood. “Either way, one of us is gonna risk losing someone. Y’already ran away from me. Twice. It’s time I get t’stay.”

There was really no other argument he could make without being cruel. Too bad for him, Law had already decided he wasn’t going to act that way anymore, not with the people who mattered to him, “How do you want me to explain to my crew, some of whom have been with me for half my life, that they can’t come with me but you’re going to?”

“Tell ‘em I’m a fuckin’ asshole and I was gonna follow you an’ ruin the whole thing if you didn’t take me,” Kid didn’t care what Law told his crew, whatever would go over the easiest was fine with him, even if it meant Law calling him a dickbag or whatever. He’d take anything, long as it meant he was going. 

“Why do you insist on making everything difficult, huh?” Law was aware he was becoming more and more resigned to the redhead’s accompaniment to Dressrosa. Ultimately, he knew Kid would follow through with his threat of showing up whether Law liked it or not and if the other man was with him from the start it would make things easier. But he still hated that he was even considering it.

“‘Cause that’s how I am,” now that Law had quit arguing so ferociously, Kid felt some of the tension leave his body as he pulled Law in tighter against him, nuzzling his face into the mop of black hair right below his nose. He wasn’t mushy except when he was and now was one of those times, especially considering this idiot had thought Kid was just going to let him scamper off into the jaws of doom alone and unguarded, “You’re mine. This is what you get. Always.”

“You’ll regret that eventually,” Law muttered. It was nice that everyone cared about him so strongly, but it still felt undeserved. He owed it to the people around him to protect them as fully as he could, even if it meant going to Dressrosa alone. They’d all done enough for him already, “You have to do everything I say. And be patient. I don’t think you can manage that.”

“Really?” pitching both his tone and his eyebrows up, Kid made sure the snarky nature of his response got through. He was almost offended that Law kept repeatedly suggesting he was impatient to the point of incompetence, “I’d be rotting in a cell somewhere if I was that fucking bad at timing, y’asshole.”

“The Marines as a whole are inept. Doffy isn’t.” Pulling back, Law caught Kid’s gaze, his own eyes hard, “Do not underestimate him. And I mean it, do exactly as I say. Even if it means humiliating yourself or hurting me. Don’t think you know better than I do. I lived with him, I know his executives and I’ve been studying him for years. Can you agree to that?”

“Yeah. Crazy or not, s’not like I have a death wish,” watching Law for a moment, Kid took in the serious, almost sullen look in his eyes and decided to brush it away with two quick kisses, one right after the other. That done, he tried to put the other man at ease a little more, “Goal’s to get your thing done then get your ass home in one piece. Heh. Then you can pay me back by helping me find One Piece.”

Law rolled his eyes hard enough he could feel the muscles in his eyes strain. “Clever,” he deadpanned, ducking his head to dodge Kid’s attempt to steal another kiss. “You’re seriously making this much more complicated for me,” he warned, not quite ready to let Kid win just yet, “I can’t even believe I’m considering letting you come with me…”

Kid was willing to accept that as the truth, but it wasn’t a winning argument on Law’s part, “If anyone’s smart enough t’figure it out, it’s you.” Grabbing Law’s chin firmly in hand, Kid tilted his head back and captured his lips one more time, this time sinking deeper into the kiss and letting it build until they were both starved for air. Only then did he break it to speak, “We’re in this kinda shit together.”

“Oh, don’t try to flatter me, it’s not gonna work,” Law huffed after Kid pulled back from the kiss, petulantly tugging his chin out of the other man’s grip. It clearly _had_ worked, though, considering he’d let Kid kiss him in the first place. “I don’t want you to die. You get that, right? I’m not being stubborn for no reason.”

Kid grinned at Law for a second, pleased by his victory, before sighing a little and running a hand through his hair, “Yeah, I know. I’m stubborn for the same reason you are.” Though it seemed like they were coming to an agreement, Kid was still careful to hedge his bets and remind Law why this mattered so much to him, too. 

“I like to think that I don’t have many weaknesses. Anyone I bring with me is a liability. If he decides to hurt you, I either have to let him or resort to beating him by force,” It was a rare moment of vulnerability, and Law couldn’t quite make himself meet Kid’s eyes. It felt necessary, though; Kid had to know what he was walking into and just how affected Law was at the very idea that someone he cared about got hurt because of him.

Breathing out softly, Kid just stroked his fingers through Law’s hair and fell quiet for a moment, soothing them both with the motion before responding, “Then I’ll tell y’how it works. If he’s hurting me but I’m not gonna die, y’let him. That’s what I get for forcing myself in with you.” Squeezing his arms around Law briefly, Kid continued on, “I’m not going to mess up your plans. I wanna help you see ‘em through.”

“Hmm,” humming, Law thought through that option. It seemed like the decision had been made, and it was maddening how easily Kid got his way with him. “I bet you’d look good with a peg leg, anyway,” he replied, finally looking up to meet the redhead’s gaze, lips pulled into a smirk. 

“Oh, for sure,” grinning in return, Kid felt himself finally relax - Law was going to give in to what he wanted, “it’ll hold me over until Dr. Chop Shop stitches me back together.” That settled, Kid leaned back on the bed and stared up at the ceiling for a second, “... I’m not asking, but I wonder where you’re from. I think about it a lot. If knowing will make something make more sense.”

Just as he was about to flop back and relax himself, Kid’s comment interrupted the small kernel of peace he’d found and set his teeth on edge. His fingers dug into the edge of the mattress; Kid had said he wasn’t asking so he wasn’t obligated to answer, but it still felt like bad timing. “...it probably would…” Each word was pushed through grit teeth, tentative, hoping it would end here.

“Yeah, probably,” finally giving in fully to his urge to recline, Kid flopped onto his back and pulled Law with him. Holding the other man close Kid went back to playing with his hair, lovingly tangling his fingers in the black locks, “What d’you think Yara and Ikkaku are doing? Your girl got the patience for the nonstop questions coming from mine?”

It took Law a moment to process the question Kid asked and when he could reasonably believe the subject was dropped, he was finally able to relax. At least he wouldn’t have to have two difficult conversations all at once, “Of course she does. She has the patience to be the crew’s big sister, I doubt Yara is too much for her to handle.”

At that Kid laughed, deep and from the belly, “Wait until y’spend more time with her. Crew’s easy as a morning breeze in comparison. She doesn’t have an off mode.” Even teasing, the words were clearly affectionate, laced with the love he had for his little sister. Snuggling in tighter against Law, Kid looked up at him in thoughtful observation, studying the lines of his face.

“I doubt she’ll ever be in a position to be around Yara enough that she’d become too much to handle,” Law countered, eyes wandering around the perimeter of the ceiling before he felt the heaviness of Kid’s gaze on him. When the redhead didn’t move or say anything else, Law shifted to face him once more, “...What?”

“What, what?” wrinkling his nose, Kid blinked at Law in obtuse confusion, unsure what question he was being asked. Kid was just relieved they’d agreed that he was going and he was about ready to pull Law down into his arms for a good snuggle and nap. In all actuality he may have been trying to avoid thinking about how to break the news to Killer and Yara, but he’d figure it out eventually. Somehow.

“You’re staring at me,” Law deadpanned, staring back at Kid unblinkingly. He was trying to unsettle him a little bit, to see if he could; usually people got put off by his dead eyed stare when he really wanted them to. 

Scoffing, Kid reached up and tugged on Law’s nose, interrupting his fisheye stare with a little childishness of his own, “Not everything’s about you.” Looking up through the frame of his arms, Kid then stuck his thumb between his index and middle fingers and wiggled it at Law as a grin started to curve his lips upwards, “Got your nose, though.”

Law continued his stare for another few moments before he shrugged and laid back as well, tucking his head on Kid’s shoulder. “You can have it. I’ll just replace it later,” he replied, twining his limbs around Kid’s as though the redhead was in danger of leaving if he didn’t try to keep him where he was.

Clicking his tongue, Kid then sighed and let his hand fall back to the bed briefly before choosing to slide it over Law’s waist instead, “You’re no fun.” Yara had outgrown that joke years ago, too, and he missed the look of affronted horror that used to come over her face every time he did that to her. Too much to hope that Law would play along even for a second, he supposed.

“Hey, are you gonna just drop it there?” Law asked, picking his head up and looking annoyed; he was playing along, it just wasn’t how Kid might have expected. “If you’re not gonna put it back, you could at least put it to good use. It’s the perfect size for a snack if you’re hungry.”

With that, Law managed to catch him completely off guard. Breaking out into a bark of laughter, Kid tilted his head to take in his boyfriend’s gaze and could only grin, leaning in after a moment to nuzzle his own nose against the ridge of Law’s forehead for a moment before actually responding, “Not really hungry right now. I’ll save it for later.”

“Good. I’m not gonna let you just take my body parts if all you’re going to do is drop them all over the bed,” Law replied, managing to keep his tone level in spite of the smile that was creeping across his face. Normally he’d remind himself he was too damn old for this childishness but being someone who’d never really had a childhood meant he was allowed to slip every now and then, he supposed.

As the afternoon wore on the affectionate teasing led to cuddles, then kisses, then into a bit of pleasure for Law. Kid was never really “in the mood,” as it were, but there was something about getting Law to come undone at his hands that was beyond satisfying. So he took his time and drew it out, making the other man buck helplessly into his grip and breathlessly gasp for release. Only when he was satisfied with that did Kid finally grant that request with a satisfied, possessive smirk on his face. 

While Law recovered, sprawled out and boneless on the bed, he found himself shifting closer to Kid’s heat, subconsciously seeking out this usual cuddly affection. He couldn’t deny how much he had changed in the past several months. He’d spent years disdaining intimacy and now, here he was, seeking it out without prompting. Cracking an eye open, Law caught the look on Kid’s face and huffed. “What’re you smirking for?”

As Kid happily wound his arms around Law and pulled him in tight against his side, the redhead snuffed a laugh out through his nose, “Just wonderin’ how many other Worst Generation get t’hear a Warlord beg like that.” The tease was light and affectionate, Kid’s words full of lazy pleasure at sharing an afternoon with Law. 

Law huffed, turning onto his side to bury his face against Kid’s shoulder. “I don’t beg,” he grumbled, knowing full well he usually gave in to Kid’s insistence that he beg for release whenever it was requested. It wasn’t exactly his favorite thing, but given the fact he couldn’t just tease Kid back until _he_ was the one begging meant he didn’t exactly have a choice. At least not one he was interested in.

“Y’do,” Kid’s counter was smooth and easy, affection in the chuckle that followed, “an’ I love it.” Settling into the bed, Kid snuck one hand up the sheets to thread through Law’s hair, stroking the black locks between his fingers in a repetitive, soothing motion. He didn’t want to break the spell, but there were things to be discussed, “When are you leaving? I need time t’tell mine.”

Law just groaned dramatically in response, hiding his face against Kid’s neck because he didn’t really want to think about that but knew he had to. He didn’t want to leave until Penguin, Shachi and Bepo came around but Doffy hadn’t really given him the luxury of time, “Tomorrow? I don’t know. Soon. I need to figure out how I’m getting there and how my crew is getting to Zou.”

“Tomorrow? Fuck, Law…” holding in a groan, Kid stared up at the ceiling and tried to decide how he could get Killer and Yara to understand in less than a day. That was a tall fucking order, to be honest, but he didn’t say anything about it to Law - the other would only use it as an excuse to badger him more about why he shouldn’t go. After a moment he spoke again, trying to weave plans as quickly as he could, “Zou? Why?”

“Yeah, tomorrow. Doffy gave me a fucking deadline because he’s a tacky asshole,” Law groused. He really shouldn’t have spent all this time fucking around with Kid. The damn redhead was a drain on his responsibility but he couldn’t even be mad about it; he let it happen, “Bepo’s from Zou. I promised I’d take him back eventually, and it’s safe.”

All at once a thought came to Kid and, well, that seemed like an elegant enough solution then, didn’t it, “So put ‘em all on the Rose and we’ll take the tin can.” His ship was massive compared to Law’s, big enough to hold both their combined crews. And it would be easier for Yara, to still have her home while Kid was gone. 

“What the fuck,” Law replied blankly, pulling back to look up at Kid, “what do you mean, put them all on the Rose? You don’t have any business coming with me in the first place, and your crew has even less business going to Zou.” He could see no reason why Kid would give up so much of his own just to help Law in this death march of his.

Shrugging a little, Kid responded with the logic running through his mind, “Y’said it was safe. And, Zou’s like… fucking fabled. There’s probably some Poneglyph, or at least a trail to one, there.” Law could be as stubborn and bullheaded and insulting as he wanted - Kid would continue to bat those parts of him away until they gave up and Kid got what he wanted.

“Yeah, it’s safe. It’s hard to find. But you’re not trying to get your crew to safety, you’re trying to find Raftel. There’s no guarantee there’d be anything on Zou that would be useful to you,” Law could understand, on a certain level, making sacrifices for someone important to you. He wouldn’t have done something as extreme as Kid until his own goals were met, but… he understood the theory. Still, it was foolish. Kid was just prolonging his own quest and if he did that, he was giving his rivals a head start.

“No guarantee there will be anythin’ useful t’me anywhere,” sometimes, being with Law was tiring, but he was worth it, so Kid kept pushing through, “but why not look in the safe, hard t’find place?” Besides, stubborn as Law was or not, certain as he was that there would be no glory, Kid knew different. If he helped defeat DonQuixote, there would be glory, even if it was only he and Law that knew of it. 

“You don’t make any damn sense,” Law complained, lowering his head once more because the weight of trying to hold it up under Kid’s insistence was too much for him at the moment,“how do you think you’ll convince Killer he should go along with this insanity? And what about Yara? Aren’t you gonna break her heart?”

“... Yeah. But only for a bit. She’ll be happy when we get back,” refusing to dwell on the potential for awful things to happen, Kid pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind. He and Law were going to survive and they were going to return victorious and that’s all there was to that. Because if Law went alone, he was going to die - that, Kid was certain of. 

“You didn’t answer me about Killer,” Law pointed out, knowing it was likely because Kid didn’t know the answer to that question himself. There wasn’t really much time to answer, though; a series of rapid metallic vibrations got louder and louder until Yara’s voice reached them through the metal door.

“Kid! Law! Come look at big sis’ fingers, I made flowers, they’re so cool!” Yara’s excitement reverberated through the room as though it was a living thing, the sheer joy in her tone rushing over them like a tide. For the first time, Kid felt guilt twinge in his guts - he was about to take that away from her, he knew it. 

But it had to be done. Law dying, and knowing he hadn’t done anything to try and stop it, would have been worse, “Coming, Sprout. Give us a second!” Kid carefully disentangled himself from Law and sat upright, rubbing at his own hair as he considered Law’s rather improper state, “Get dressed, I’ll clean up.”

Patience (outside of painting nails, anyway) was not the strong suit of either Eustass sibling. Law had just gotten out of bed before his door handle bobbed up and down and he was grateful he’d remembered to lock it. He could practically see Yara pouting as she spoke, “Why’s the door locked? You’re taking foreverrrrr. Kid!” 

Kid laughed then, grinning as he responded, “Door’s locked ‘cause you’re impatient, kiddo.” Straightening things up and arranging the sheets so any incriminating evidence was hidden, Kid tossed Law’s shirt at him and chuckled as it landed over his face, “Anyway, yell at Law. He’s the one taking forever.”

“What’s taking forever? Is he pooping or something?” Yara demanded, accompanied by a barely concealed laugh from someone else behind the door. Law rolled his eyes as Ikkaku distracted Yara from her impatience, half smiling as he pulled his shirt over his head and located his pants, which had been flung indiscriminately across the room.

Further proof they were related came in Kid’s response, “Yeah, a huge stinky one. Maybe I’ll let y’in and make y’smell it!” Upon assuring himself that Law was fully dressed, Kid went to the door and pulled it open with a grin, reaching down to scoop Yara into his arms, “Yep, that’s what’s gonna happen!”

Putting her hands on Kid’s chest, Yara pushed against him to put as much distance between them as she could get. “Can’t be worse than yours. Yours are the _worst_ ,” she insisted. That said, she looked over to Law as he leaned his shoulder against the door frame next to her, “Your ship is cool! Big sis showed me the control room and you have an underwater porthole! We looked at fish and seaweed.”

Kid’s smile was indulgent as he let Yara pout, struggle, and then change her focus to Law and extolling the virtues of his tin can. He had immediately caught on to what she was calling Ikkaku but he didn’t worry too much about it - she refused to call anyone else “brother” but she likely didn’t remember her sisters at all, so Kid understood that this was an exciting moment for her.

“Yeah, there are a lot of interesting things to see through the underwater porthole,” Law agreed, glancing pointedly to Kid since that was precisely how they found their way to the island he’d claimed for himself; the underwater forest of tangled limbs on chains. “What was it that you wanted to show us?” he prompted then, eyes flicking toward Ikkaku.

“The flowers, they turned out so good!” bouncing excitedly, Yara reached for Ikkaku’s hands and did her best to press them upward and fan her fingers out at the same time so that Law and Kid could have a clear view of her work. What this revealed was purple and blue flowers done on a bed of dark green polish, each one hand painted and with a little yellow dot in the middle for the stamen. The grin on Yara’s face showed how proud she was, “What do you think?!”

Ikkaku graciously moved the way Yara wanted her to, not minding her new job as nail polish model. She hadn’t gotten tired of spending time with Yara at all and found her endless fascination with everything new, combined with her boundless energy, refreshing. The last time someone had shown this much interest in her, it’d been during Penguin’s attempts at wooing her which had sometimes been tedious. This was more genuine and Ikkaku was happy to play the part of big sister in a way that was more than just breaking up arguments between her thick-headed crew mates.

“That’s really precise,” Law commented once he’d had time to inspect her work. “You must have very steady hands, Yara. I bet you’d be a good surgical assistant,” Law knew that that was a comment that would just further her already budding interest in his position as a surgeon; they’d talked about it at length during the first day they spent together. Law didn’t care that it wasn’t the most appropriate topic for a nine year old girl; she expressed interest and it was something he was happy to talk about. The fact that that comment was sure to make Kid uncomfortable was a bonus in his mind.

The way Kid’s fingers immediately gripped at his hip unnecessarily tightly telegraphed his feelings about Law’s comment quite clearly, but the redhead didn’t have a chance to get a word in edgewise before his sister responded with glee, “Yeah!? Can I try? I am steady with my hands!” The way she grinned up at Law was infectious, bright and excited and hopeful. Her tone was the same as she looked back to Ikkaku, “Right, big sis? I didn’t mess up once, did I?”

“Nope, not once,” Ikkaku agreed, having also picked up on the way Kid’s posture tightened. She shared her captain’s amusement with making other people slightly uncomfortable and this was harmless enough. “You know, the Captain has trained all of us on the basics of assisting him in surgery. I’ve done it a few times myself. You could join him for a little while and I bet he’d teach you too,” She winked playfully at the younger girl, knowing she’d never leave her brother’s crew. 

Gasping in excitement, Yara nodded eagerly, immediately whirling her attention back to Law, “You’ll teach me, won’t you? You can call Kid and he’ll bring me, I promise!” Not that she was in a place to commit to her brother’s obedience, but that never really stopped Yara before. She was sure that Kid would do what she wanted, he had to understand how badly she wanted to learn. 

Law wasn’t sure if Ikkaku brought this up as a subtle way of punishing him for leaving or if she honestly just wasn’t thinking about how there was no good answer to give Yara in the moment. He didn’t respond right away, trying to think of an elegant response to her request that didn’t give away the fact that he’d be gone soon, “When we both have time, yeah. Maybe I’ll teach Kid, too. So you can practice together.”

“Hell no,” the muttered response came from behind Law’s left shoulder. Kid wanted nothing to do with a surgery bay, organs where they didn’t belong, or any other freaky surgeon shit Law pulled. For someone who was completely at ease eviscerating an enemy and walking through the entrails, Kid’s stomach didn’t take well to the idea of Law’s work. But on the flipside Yara looked happy with Law’s offer and she accepted with a grateful nod, choosing soon thereafter to fling herself forward and hug his legs as further proof of her excitement at the prospect.

Yara’s weight wasn’t enough to make Law wobble but he was caught off guard enough by it that he did have to lean into Kid to make sure he didn’t lose his balance. He’d just come to accept Kid’s brand of affection and it seemed he’d have even less time to come to terms with another redhead clinging to him. Awkwardly, he patted the top of her head, not sure how else to make her stop without hurting her feelings. 

After a moment Yara pulled back, giggled, and then looked back at Ikkaku with a wicked little glint in her eyes, “You’re right, he’s funny about hugs.” But, to Yara, that made said hugs that much better. Reaching out, Yara took Ikkaku’s hand in hers and studied her work for a moment, tongue sticking between her lips before she proclaimed, “Next time, we’ll do black and red!” Those were much more her - and her brother’s - colors.

Ikkaku nodded in agreement, shrugging at her captain when Law shot her a look that clearly questioned why the two of them were talking about that particular topic in the first place. The truth was, Yara had a lot of questions about the nature of Law’s personality and in spite of the fact that she was an exuberant child with very little experience in testing boundaries, she knew enough not to ask certain things about Law to the man himself. Ikkaku saw no harm in further elaborating on her Captain’s mannerisms and habits; she respected him, but she wasn’t the type to sugarcoat things so Yara had gotten a more honest recounting of Law’s strengths and flaws than she might have from anyone else.

At this point, Kid held in a sigh. There were more details to hash out with Law, but it wasn’t going to happen right now and if he tried to shoo her away, she’d get concerned and suspicious. He wanted to put that off as long as he could, knew it would be hard enough when he had to tell her and Killer the truth about what was going to happen. Moving around Law, Kid reached down and scooped Yara up and onto his hip as he spoke. “We were promised dinner, weren’t we?” 

“Yep!” Yara chirped at the same time that Law flatly commented that he couldn’t remember ever making that promise. But, really, he knew it had been part of the discussion and wasn’t about to actually turn down the idea; it might be awkward with part of his crew flatly refusing to speak to him, but since when had Law backed out of something because of that? 

Nodding his agreement, Kid reached out with his free hand and grabbed one of Law’s, pulling the smaller man in closer, “On the dock sounds about right, too.” Smiling a little as Yara reached her own hands out for one of Ikkaku’s, Kid waited until his sister had obtained her prize and was happily settled before speaking to Law again, “After you.”

On the way out, Law stopped by the mess hall to inform Clione and the rest of his crew currently occupying various tables that they’d be eating on the dock if anyone wanted to join in. One of the crew members in the mess hall happened to be Penguin, and though Law had intended to give him space, Ikkaku was over his pouting and beckoned for him to join them. In her mind, if they only had a few days left, they might as well spend it together. She could predict how he might regret avoiding their captain in the weeks to come. 

Had it been Law beckoning he would have ignored it, but Ikkaku’s curled finger and pointed look - coupled with the very odd sight of her holding hands with a little girl otherwise attached to Eustass Kid - convinced him to rise without much argument. Yet, even though he went to his girlfriend’s side without a word, Penguin carefully kept his gaze averted from Law; he wasn’t ready to talk yet.

Squeezing his hand, Ikkaku could only hope all these foolish men she chose to spend her time with would learn that the cold shoulder was not the best tactic to use when on a time crunch. Perhaps forced close quarters and something other than their impending separation to think about would do them some good. 

Yara, having picked up on the fact that Ikkaku was holding Penguin’s hand, which must mean he was the boyfriend she mentioned, leaned further over Kid’s shoulder until she got his attention. “Hi! I’m Yara. I’m a lady pirate like Ikkaku! You must be her boyfriend. I painted her nails; do you like them?”

Staring in something akin to confused semi-horror at Yara, Penguin stared at the child for a moment as he processed her words and what to do with them. He wasn’t one for making conversation with small children and that, combined with the fact that he was upset, kept him mum for longer than usual. But he could feel the sudden burst of expectation radiating from Ikkaku and that finally got him to open his mouth, casting a haphazard look down at the fingers interlaced with his before responding, “Uh… yeah?”

Frowning, Ikkaku tugged at Penguin’s hand a little forcefully to express her disappointment. They didn’t often get a chance to interact with children, but he’d expressed interest in them in the moments when curious children would approach in port, usually drawn in by Bepo. She knew he wasn’t in a good mood, but that was no reason to behave poorly around someone who hadn’t been the cause of it in the first place.

Tilting her head to the side, Yara studied Penguin for a moment, unperturbed by his rather lackluster response, “Are you shy? It’s okay. You’re on Law’s crew, and Law is Kid’s boyfriend, so we can be friends! Big sis said your name is Penguin. That’s a cool name.”

Blinking a little, Penguin winced when Ikkaku yanked on his hand and tried to do better when he responded to Yara this time, “Thanks, I picked it myself. Your name is… pretty.” Casting a furtive glance at Kid, Penguin felt his sense of discomfort rise - what was the right thing to say to the mad captain’s… daughter? 

“You picked your own name?! That’s so cool! My name was Yara when I was born. I think my parents gave it to me, but they’re dead, so I don’t know,” the way she so casually discussed her dead parents made it clear she didn’t really care one way or another; it was just a fact of her life. 

“Oh,” chalk that up to another surprised look on his face and more confusion running through him, “so… Captain Kid’s not your dad?” That did help soothe one concern he’d had, though - Penguin hadn’t pegged Law as the kind of guy that would willing take on someone else’s child and he was glad to have proof he still understood his captain well. 

Giggling, Yara turned and looked at Kid, taking a moment to share her amusement; it was an assumption a lot of people made about them, “Nope, he’s my big brother. But Killer says he practically raised us both, so if anyone’s my dad it’s Killer. I don’t call him that, though.” All this talk of family had her curious, though, so she scrutinized Penguin for a moment before continuing. “Do you have a brother or a sister? Or parents?”

Though he still felt awkward about it, conversation started to come easier the longer he talked to this strangely energetic little girl. Though, related to Kid, he supposed the manic energy made sense. He was perhaps a little vague with his answers but Penguin took her through his history well enough to satisfy her, letting her know his parents passed too and that he didn’t have any siblings, but that he had a family with the Heart Pirates. 

By now, Law had arranged to have a large table moved outside - which, thanks to his power, was an easy task once he knew where to place everything - and Clione and Uni were transporting food as well. As they settled in, Yara made sure she was sitting between her brother and Penguin, having decided he was interesting now that he started talking to her. 

As everyone settled in and conversation started flowing more freely - many of the crew members had taken to gawking at Yara to the point that Ikkaku just started making introductions any time someone new joined - Kid turned to Law and pitched his voice low to avoid being overheard, “Take it y’told yer crew and some of them aren’t happy.”

Nodding, Law gestured to Penguin and Shachi, “Those two and Bepo. And Ikkaku, more or less.” Normally Law would allow his men their feelings and would respect the fact that they didn’t seem to want attention, but he couldn’t stop trying to catch their gaze. He just wanted to enjoy the time they still had but Law was aware that was his own fault, too. It had taken him this long to truly allow himself to enjoy anyone’s presence and now he was going to lose it of his own accord - that smacked as a cosmic punishment, if he was the type to believe in those sort of things. 

Kid’s little hum of acknowledgement spoke volumes - he knew he was going to be in for the same treatment, though his might involve more threats, a few punches thrown, and an insinuation or two that Kid’s priorities were out of whack. But he’d weather it, as he always had any fight between himself and Killer. That’s what it meant to be blood brothers, after all.

“...You can still back out,” Law reminded Kid quietly, stubbornly staring at the wood grain in the table instead of meeting Kid’s gaze, “you haven’t told anyone yet. And I have some ideas about how to get where I need to be. You have a family that needs you; you don’t need to sacrifice all this for me.”

Though Kid’s response was short - almost aggressively so - it got the point across, “You’re mine too.” Refusing to get back into this conversation, Kid shifted to face forward again and drew Yara into the conversation as defense, “Hey, Sprout. Wanna tell Law about that time on Rolling Springs Island?” It was a long story told normally - it was an epic told by a thrilled nine year old.

Law still didn’t know what he’d done to inspire such loyalty from such a wide array of people that he absolutely didn’t deserve. He hadn’t treated any of his crew with the kind of love they’d shown him and he had also made more than a few major missteps with Kid. Even though his three closest friends were angry with him, he knew it was precisely because they loved him. 

Maybe he wasn’t the type to believe in cosmic influence most of the time, but as he settled in under the setting sun, surrounded by most of his crew and the now extended family he’d found with Kid, enjoying himself in spite of the rift between him and Penguin - Law couldn’t help but wonder if Cora-san was still looking out for him.

He found himself hoping against hope that he was.


	35. Damage

It was well past dark when Kid and Yara left. Having a nine year old around helped break some of the tension between Law, Penguin, and Shachi and when Bepo finally emerged from the bowels of the Polar Tang, Yara’s excitement at finally getting to meet the polar bear she’d seen in port was enough to eclipse the Mink’s depression as well. Though Law hadn’t actually spoken to any of the three currently still upset with him, they were at least not outright avoiding him. That could only be good news. 

The clean up from their dockside dinner was done mostly manually, other than the table, which would have been a pain in the ass to move by hand. Law found himself enjoying the repetition of the action. It seemed giving himself something physical to do helped take his mind off the unpleasantness he’d be facing when it was time to break the news to the rest of the crew. Likely without any support, all things considered. 

Finding her way to her captain’s side once clean up was finished, Ikkaku sighed softly and asked the question she knew was weighing on all their minds, “When are you gonna tell everyone else, Captain?” It wasn’t exactly a pleasant thought, especially considering she’d just gotten her boyfriend to smile about half an hour ago, but it needed to be done.

Narrowing his eyes for a moment as he thought, Law wanted to be selfish and wait until Penguin, Shachi and Bepo came around. But that would likely only give his crew a day or less to cope with the extreme change and that was likely to cause a mutiny. “...In the morning,” he murmured once he made his decision, studying her expression to determine if at least she could accept the path he’d chosen. 

A short nod was her first response before she asked further questions, “Before or after breakfast?” Knowing that she was likely the only one planning on assisting Law through any of this, Ikkaku was working through how she could make the next day run as smoothly as possible, “I can get everyone together for you.”

“After. I don’t really want to ruin everyone’s meal,” Law paused, shooting her a self-deprecating smile. He was in rare form right now, caught in a swell of new emotions he was still trying to sort through. It probably wouldn’t ever come easily to him, but he was pretty sure he couldn’t go back now. 

Ikkaku just nodded, her expression soft as she left space for Law to feel whatever it was he needed to feel. She understood that something in him was different, even if she wasn’t fully able to define what that was, but she could tell it meant this was hitting him harder than he probably expected. “Everyone’ll be okay eventually,” her own smile was a bit teasing then, though lighthearted, “they let you get away with murder.”

“Heh,” Law was somewhat surprised to find himself cheered up by her words. It was true, quite literally. They’d be more likely to forgive him if he survived Dressrosa, though the fact that Kid was coming with him would definitely make it even more difficult. “Goodnight, big sis,” Law teased in return, playfully ruffling her hair as he passed by. 

Scoffing affectionately, Ikkaku just smiled softly to herself as she let Law go. She could only try to imagine the stress he was under, especially now. Figuring out how to handle DonQuixote would be complicated for anyone; add in the emotional attachment that Law clearly had to defeating him and Ikkaku knew he was under immense pressure to bring his lifelong goal to fruition. She wasn’t going to try to make things more complicated. 

Meanwhile, on the way back to their home island, Yara was leaning heavily against Kid’s side as he rowed them toward shore. In the whirlwind excitement of the day, she was exhausted but stubbornly trying to cling to wakefulness. “Law’s crew is so cool… he has a talking bear… I want a talking bear…” she murmured, words sometimes too quiet to hear as she drifted closer and closer to sleep, lulled by the rhythmic motion of their little boat and the soothing sound of water sloshing as the oars rose and sank once more.

Chuckling a little, Kid just leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to the top of her tender head, ensuring she was safely tucked against him as he kept rowing them toward home, “But we have Killer. No bear is cooler than Killer.” Though he responded to her, Kid put no effort into keeping her awake - a thoroughly exhausted sister meant an easy night getting her to bed. 

“We can have Killer _and_ a bear,” she insisted. As usual, she was fighting sleep as hard as she could, though it was clearly a losing battle. Shifting from Kid’s side, she moved to the edge of the boat and dipped her hands into the cool water in the hopes that it might help her wake up more, “I want to tell Killer about Bepo.”

“Okay,” that was an easy enough request to grant. Watching her carefully, Kid felt a sudden flare of concern roll through him that she’d topple over the side and he’d be fucking useless at rescuing her, “Hey, Sprout. Come back, it’s cold without you.” While she was excellent in the water - Killer had dabbled at teaching her how to swim when she was still a toddler, but it had become even more paramount once Kid ate his Devil Fruit - there were still times Kid couldn’t set the worry to rest. 

Groaning, Yara shifted so her back was resting against the side of the boat and all her limbs were safely tucked against her sides. “It is not. You’re always hot. Are we almost there yet?” her words were slurred with sleep, but she was stubbornly holding on; she had too much to tell Killer about before she could fall asleep.

“Almost, kiddo…” his voice was soft, eyes gentle as they watched her do her best to stay awake. Today had been a really big day for her, that was true, but when he thought about it, the same was true for Kid, too. He was somewhat annoyed that Law thought he could just up and leave without him and the argument hadn’t exactly been easy, but what mattered was the end result - as long as the sylph of a man didn’t try to wiggle his way out of things tomorrow, they’d be on their way to Dressrosa together. 

Yara dozed off in the final few minutes of their journey but the feeling of the boat hitting sand and being dragged further ashore was enough to wake her. The surge of excitement that followed gave her enough energy to jump out of the boat as Killer was nearly finished pulling it out of the water. She took his stooped posture as an invitation and launched herself onto his back, fingers digging into his hair to keep her balance, “Killer! I met a talking polar bear today!”

Grunting a little at the sudden onslaught but managing to keep his bearings nonetheless, Killer finished bringing the boat ashore before he rearranged Yara into a more comfortable, manageable position on his shoulders and responding to her bubbling excitement with his usual calm, steady demeanor, “The Heart Pirates’ mink. You’re excited.” 

“Yeah! His name is Bepo!” it dawned on her then that Killer wasn’t surprised. He and Kid had both spent time with Law’s crew before, so of course they weren’t; they already knew about Bepo. “You knew Law had a polar bear and didn’t tell me! That’s so mean!” she yelled suddenly, gasping as the realization hit her fully.

Casual as could be, Killer gently patted her foot as she and their Captain began the walk back to their headquarters, “Didn’t want to ruin the surprise.” That said, Killer turned his attention toward Kid, watching him for a moment and trying to puzzle out if his silence was strange or not before continuing on with Yara, “Tell me about your day.”

As Yara regaled him with her stories, Killer kept a sharp eye on Kid. The redhead seemed to purposefully avoid meeting his gaze and though it could be just that the other man was tired, Killer couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. Fifteen minutes into their trek through the woods, Yara’s excited retelling of the day gradually petered off into soft snores as she fell asleep slumped forward against the back of Killer’s head. It meant, if they were quiet enough, Kid and Killer could have a conversation of their own. 

Looking up at Yara as she slumped over Killer’s head, Kid couldn’t help but shake his head in rueful fondness at just how hard she tried to be all grown up. At the end of the day she was still a kid and Kid cherished every second of it, from the quiet moments when she grabbed his hand to every time she ran a mile a minute in the telling of her newest story it brought a joy to him he’d never felt anywhere else. He was going to be miserable, he knew, leaving her for however long this was going to take - it would be the longest they’d ever been apart by far. 

“Y’gonna spill?” Killer asked once he was sure Yara wouldn’t be woken by the sound of his voice. One hand reached up behind him, pressing lightly against her back so she wouldn’t fall from his shoulders. “I can tell when something’s on your mind,” Killer wished he could turn to look at Kid, but considering Yara’s position it was likely to wake her so he didn’t, staring straight ahead and waiting for the redhead to respond.

That was the question, wasn’t it? Did he do it now, hoping Killer’s reaction would be tempered by the fact that he didn’t want to wake Yara or would the news anger him so much that he exploded either way? Honestly though… Yara had always worked to cool Killer down before and Kid wasn’t above using the tactic when it worked for him. He also knew they didn’t have a lot of time to work through this conversation, so it was better to just get it started, “I’m going to Dressrosa with Law.”

Killer stopped in his tracks; were it not for the very physical reminder that he was holding Yara up, he’d have spun around and punched Kid square in the jaw. As it was, he couldn’t. At least, not right now. Regaining his composure, Killer continued walking in utter silence. Fortunately, they were mere minutes away from their cave, which meant it would be less than ten minutes before Killer could tear into his captain and remind him of his duties.

At least part of his plan had gone off how Kid had hoped; Killer showing his physical displeasure had been avoided - at least, for the next few minutes. But what he had expected was for Killer to vocalize his displeasure immediately. The lack of that, the utter silence coming from his second, was eerie in a way Kid hadn’t expected. It probably meant things were going to go worse than he’d anticipated once Yara was carefully bedded down for the night. Was it worth it, trying to manage the damage early? He could try to find out, “... Come on, Killer, it’s… it makes sense.”

In spite of Kid’s attempts to reassure him, Killer still didn’t speak. The light from the torches dotting the front entrance of their cave finally filtered in through his mask and it was only by force of habit that he was able to calmly enter and tuck Yara in for the night, sweeping her off his shoulders with practiced ease before setting her under the covers. Her eyes fluttered open for an instant, but closed again as soon as the familiar warmth enveloped her and she was out like a light once more.

Only once she was fast asleep once more did Killer stand up to his full height, eyes searing into Kid’s now that he could freely turn his head. “I think we should have this discussion outside,” he commented flatly, not waiting for a reply before heading back outside where they were less likely to be overheard.

Kid followed without a peep of disagreement. If he were to get his head torn off tonight, which he knew was coming, he was hoping it was only going to happen verbally. No sense in making Killer angrier than he already was. As they entered back into the dark of the night Kid kept walking, drawing them further out into the woods so their words wouldn’t echo back through the caverns; this was the last thing he wanted waking Yara up. He’d take his lecture but he didn’t want it to disturb her.

When there was enough distance between them and the cave, Killer spun around to face Kid. There was a second’s pause, as though he was going to let Kid speak first, but in that instant his fist met the side of Kid’s face with enough force to knock a normal man ten feet sideways, “You sound like a goddamn traitor.”

In the moment before impact, Kid closed his eyes and let his jaw go slack - the first because he knew it was coming and wasn’t going to try and fight it and the second to avoid losing any teeth. The force of Killer’s blow did send him staggering to the side and left his ears ringing with the intensity of it. He’d have a killer - pun intended on any other day - headache in a second or two. But once he weathered it he grit his teeth and rose to his full height again, locking eyes with Killer. If there was one thing he wasn’t prepared to take, it was that accusation, “No, I fucking don’t.”

“No? Fucking off with another captain to fulfill his goals and leaving us to rot here doesn’t sound traitorous to you? Because it sure as fuck does to me,” Killer seethed right back, not sparing Kid’s feelings for a second. “We’ve all given our lives to your cause and you’re going to throw it in our faces like that? What the fuck is wrong with you?

“I’m not leaving you to rot anywhere!” the words were hissed as they escaped, Kid’s face turning red. Even though he promised himself he’d be reasonable about this whole thing, that Killer’s anger was valid and that Kid would just take what he had to say until he’d worked through the brunt of it and they could actually talk, Killer seemed to know just what to say to raise his temperature a million degrees, “And I’m not throwing anything in anyone’s face! You’re gonna keep working on the fucking Poneglyphs while I’m gone and when I come back, we’ll keep doing what we’ve always done!”

“You’re abandoning us,” Killer replied, eyes narrowing behind his mask, “Trafalgar’s fight isn’t yours. It has nothing to do with you, or with us. What reason could there possibly be to go with him? Besides that, I’m the only one on this crew without a fucking screw loose; without our only Devil Fruit user, what chance do we have to actually obtain the Poneglyph? I can hold my own against most people, but not a goddamn Emperor.”

He had logical, sensible plans for this conversation, but they were out the window. When his words came they were fast, almost as though they were being tossed over one another in their rush to escape, Kid’s hands clenching into fists, “What reason is there to go after a Warlord? Prestige, a higher bounty, more people knowing our fucking names? It’s how fucking legends are made, Killer! People think I’m crazy and I haven’t done anything to prove that in a while, it’s fucking time!”

Not that Killer didn’t have a valid concern about the other things, but he could address that too, “We don’t even know where the other Poneglyphs are right now! It will take you months to find one of them! So you do that while I’m gone and we go after them together!” Why did Killer have to make everything to do with Law so fucking hard? Why did he have to make this so fucking hard? “You’re going to Zou. With the Rose. You’ll be in command. You’ll be safe. I send Law alone to that nut job, he dies. I’m not a fucking traitor, Killer, it’s not a fucking crime to care about someone outside the crew!”

“You’re not going after DonQuixote for prestige, you’re going after him for Trafalgar’s sake. Don’t try to make this about something it’s not!” Nothing about Kid was making sense anymore; Killer was starting to think he should have tried harder to keep Kid’s attention away from that psycho before things got this far, “How the hell is going to Zou going to help!? And this isn’t about caring about someone outside the crew, it’s about the fact that your duty is to us first, not him!”

“I know where my duty lies. I’m not abandoning my ship or my crew. I’m not going fucking AWOL,” it was getting harder and harder to resist the urge to punch Killer in return. Kid tried desperately to hold on to the reminder it wouldn’t do them any good, “I’ve got something t’do that’s too dangerous for all of you. I’m going to do it, then I’m going to come back and things will be normal!” 

“We’ve always gone with you, no matter the danger. You think DonQuixote is any worse than Kaido? Or Shanks? He’s not even a fucking emperor. This isn’t about doing what’s best for the crew, this is about you being a fucking lovesick dog following his master’s whims,” Killer wasn’t sure that it was Trafalgar’s idea, but he was willing to blame him anyway; Kid never would have wanted to go to Dressrosa if it wasn’t for that North Blue bastard.

The strength to resist shredded and then snapped during Killer’s little rant and when Kid’s fist came around, aimed at his lower jaw, he wasn’t pulling any punches. With all his strength behind it, Kid socked Killer clean in the face - or mask, as it were - grunting as the pain ricocheted back down his hand and into his arm. But that didn’t matter, “You can keep your fucking useless opinions about me and Law to yourself.”

Killer stumbled a few steps back, knowing he’d have a few bruises from the mask being shoved into his face but that it was more likely Kid had broken at least one finger. It was made of metal, after all, and had repelled things much stronger than a fist, “It’s not an opinion, it’s a fact. You’re abandoning your crew for him. Your duty as Captain is to your crew first, or have you forgotten?”

Sick of having to repeat himself, Kid sucked in air through clenched teeth and snarled out, “I’m not abandoning anyone. You all know where I’m going, why, and that I’ll come back. And if you try to tell the crew anything different, I swear to the gods I’ll destroy you.” Kid could feel his power thrumming in his fingertips, pulsing like a living thing trying to get out. Hurting Killer would be the easiest thing in the world, with that helmet encasing his head. 

And like a thunder crack, that one thought shattered the anger running through him into pieces, poured down on it like a drenching rain - since when did he ever want to hurt Killer that badly? The methods that ran through Kid’s mind, they would have maimed him for life. How did this escalate so quickly? Grunting again, Kid forced himself to turn away and start heading toward the cave, nursing his hand against his chest, “I’m done. You’re being a fucking asshole.”

“You can deny it all you want. But you’re leaving us behind to do something that doesn’t benefit any of us for the sake of another captain, one we’re not even officially in an alliance with. I don’t need to tell the crew anything different for them to agree with me,” Killer hissed right back, though he didn’t move to stop Kid or follow. If he wanted to walk away from this, that was up to him. He’d made his priorities clear.

Though he had managed to pull himself back in the moment, Kid’s blood was still boiling. He put all his focus into putting one foot in front of the other, anything to stop him from turning around and getting in a fight that would seriously injure one of them. He still had to tell Yara all of this and he was hoping - a long shot, he would admit - that he’d at least have Killer pretend to be in his corner for that. But his second could be bitter all he wanted - Kid had lived, bled, suffered, and triumphed for this crew and taking out DonQuixote would be another feather in their cap. If Killer didn’t want to see that he was being blind on purpose. 

Killer didn’t bother returning right away, lurking in the woods while he worked through his anger before returning nearly an hour later. Sleep wouldn’t be forthcoming, he knew, so he spent his time researching Zou. Why they were being sent there wasn’t clear and he absolutely didn’t agree, but if that was where his stubborn captain had it in his head they were going to go, he might as well prepare.

Kid paced just outside the entrance to their caverns until he managed to calm down enough that he was reasonably sure he wouldn’t wake Yara when he went inside. Making his way to her room, Kid quietly eased himself down next to her and pulled her in close, careful to jostle her as little as possible. Part of him wished that he had more lead time on this, more of an opportunity to cuddle her and explain, but he knew that was a fallacy - he could have all the time in the world and leaving her would never get any easier. 

But he had tonight and he planned to make use of it. Arranging her until she was curled up on his chest, just like she used to sleep when she was a baby, Kid ran a hand down her hair over and over, staring up at the ceiling and trying to work through what he was going to say when morning dawned. 

When Yara woke up, it was to the realization that the bed was moving. “Mmn…?” she hummed, confused as she pushed herself up, only to realize the motion was Kid’s chest rising and falling as he breathed. She couldn’t recall him rearranging the two of them, but it made her happy nonetheless. Quietly she tucked her head back under his chin, hoping her movements hadn’t woken him up.

Rest had been elusive that night, Kid’s mind too busy to allow him any respite. He’d only fallen into a stupor perhaps two and a half hours ago and it certainly wasn’t a deep sleep. Starting slightly he woke with a jolt, groaning at the headache pounding behind his eyes. Of course that’s how today would start. Shifting, one hand came up to spread out over Yara’s back, holding her carefully as he worked out an ache in his hip, “Sprout?”

“Shh, I’m sleeping,” Yara whispered back, stubbornly keeping her eyes closed and refusing to acknowledge that she was fully awake. Though she’d been excited for their outing yesterday, she’d actually spent very little of the day with her brother and she was intent on making up for that now. Lazy mornings after a sleepover were one of her favorite things.

For a moment Kid’s initial instinct was to argue, to push against the time constraint, but almost as quickly he reigned himself in - this was the last morning he’d have with her for a while; he wasn’t going to rush it. Chuckling softly, Kid just went back to stroking her hair, content to share in the silent affection with her, “Okay. Tell me when you’re up.”

Shifting around until she was comfortable - she fit better when she was younger and her longer limbs were difficult to arrange in the limited space she had - Yara managed to stay quiet for a few minutes before she wiggled her shoulders slightly, “I’m itchy now.” That was practically code between the two of them; Kid would start by scratching her back, which would escalate to tickling her sides, which would turn into an all-out war between the two of them. Other than painting his nails, their play fights were Yara’s favorite form of bonding.

Kid’s chuckle came louder this time and he began doing exactly as she had wanted, gently dragging his fingernails up and down her back, enjoying the lazy movement of it for now. She was everything to him, she really was, and bringing her joy was the highlight of living, for him. So the knowledge that he was about to break her heart weighed heavy on his own, but he knew she’d be safe with Killer… Law wouldn’t be safe without him. He had to do this. He had to go.

Yara could quickly tell there was something on Kid’s mind when the second phase of their usual interaction didn’t come. Pushing herself up so she could look at him and demand to know what was on his mind, she immediately noticed the dark bruise that had spread over the side of his face. Gasping, she grabbed Kid’s chin and turned it to the side for further inspection, “Kid!! What happened to your face?!”

“A fist,” shrugging a little, Kid sat upright and deftly scooped her up so he could re-position her in his lap, “no big. Killer and me got too excited messing around last night.” The last thing he wanted was for Yara to know there was tension between him and Killer, it would make everything worse for her. That meant he had to seek out his second and talk to him before he went over things with Yara - otherwise, the risk was that she’d run to Killer and have her anger and hurt fed, rather than soothed. 

Relaxing, Yara nodded; Kid and Killer frequently got physical with each other. To her, it was just an extension of the play fights that she and her brother got into. Still, even then, she’d never seen quite so big a bruise come from something so innocent before, “I thought a bad guy tried to sneak in or something! It’s a big bruise.” Pausing, she poked the center of Kid’s cheek where it was darkest, “Does it hurt?”

Raising an eyebrow at her, Kid snatched her wandering little hand before he could do it again, enveloping it in his own, “Yes.” Clearly playful, his tone conveyed as much as he continued on, “Should I start poking your bruises?” But Kid already knew the answer to that - Yara actively encouraged people to do it, just so she could show them off and display how tough she was in the aftermath all at the same time. It was something he remembered doing himself, at her age. If he thought about it too hard, sometimes it freaked him out, how alike they actually were. 

With her hand effectively trapped in Kid’s fist, Yara decided to change tactics. Leaning down, she gently kissed his cheek where she’d poked it, “There. Now it’ll get better.” She was a little too old to truly believe in the magic of kissing an injury better, but it was something Kid did for her when she was too little to know anything different and it stuck with her, even now. 

The soft smile that broke across his face at that spoke volumes, his eyes gentle as he looked at her, “Thanks, kiddo.” But they had more routine to see to, didn’t they? Releasing Yara’s hand Kid instead grabbed her around the waist and pinned her down, giving her a devilish grin before setting upon her with fingers bent not on scratches, this time, but tickles instead. 

Yelping, Yara squirmed as she tried to escape the sudden onslaught. “Cheater! I wasn’t ready! You tricked me!” she squealed between peals of laughter, trying desperately to escape. It was hard to focus through the overwhelming ticklish sensation, but she tried to kick him in tender spots that would make him let her go long enough to retreat.

Good at defending himself against her wily ways, Kid made Yara suffer a bit for poking him on the cheek before finally releasing her with a triumphant grin, “I win.” Wiggling his fingers at her in a threat to do it again, Kid gave her a split second to determine her strategy to fight back, “Round two!”

The morning carried on much in the same manner, tickle fights quickly turning into wrestling matches that Yara used to show off her mastery of the pressure points Law had taught her. She was fast, too, and small enough that she could usually get herself free from her brother’s hold on her in the instances when he did manage to catch her. By the time they stopped, they were both winded, though it was Yara’s stomach that growled loud enough to catch their attention, “...pancake time.”

At that Kid laughed, sitting upright and wincing a little as he rubbed at one of the particularly troublesome little pressure points she’d used with aplomb. Get a few more years on her and Yara was going to be a formidable opponent. Standing he then pulled her up into his arms, ruffling her hair as he started to head toward the main cavern, nodding his agreement, “Pancake time.”

Finding the dining area full of crew members, Kid gave them all an acknowledging head nod as he carried Yara over to the cook station, letting her request pancakes as she wished. That done he found a spot between Hex and Wire and plopped her down in it, kissing the top of her head as he set the plate of fluffy deliciousness in front of her, “I’ll be back, Yar, I just gotta go talk to Kill.”

“Roger that, Captain,” Yara replied with an officious salute before digging in to her breakfast, oblivious to the feud simmering between her brother and Killer. For his part, Killer was nowhere to be seen, though whether he’d already eaten or was actively avoiding Kid wasn’t clear.

It didn’t matter - a few quiet, well placed questions allowed Kid to at least determine where Killer was not. Working from those clues he stalked outside in search of his prey, calling his name once he was fairly certain he’d be within range of the blonde man, “Killer.” It was stated with intent, purpose, but no outright hostility; Kid knew he needed to keep it in check if this was going to be at all successful.

Killer heard Kid as he approached, but he didn’t bother stopping the continuous pull ups he’d been working on using a sturdy branch about twelve feet up. He ignored the other man for nearly a full minute before he dropped down, using his discarded shirt to mop the sweat from the back of his neck, “What.” It wasn’t a question. 

Failing to appreciate the attitude, Kid gave some right back before actually getting down to business, “Are you gonna keep being an insubordinate bitch or are you actually my second?” It wasn’t an accusation so much as a veiled plea for some manner of peace between them but Kid wasn’t ready to make apologies yet.

“The Rose has enough provisions for a trip to the last known location of Zou - barely. We’ll need to stock up before we leave. And given the last few places Zou was, we can figure out a trajectory from there,” Though his response was seemingly random, Killer was just pointing out that he’d used his sleepless night to do what a second in command was supposed to do in this situation, even when he absolutely disagreed with his captain’s orders. 

All at once, Kid let out a breath and his head dropped slightly, his eyes closing as he let those words sink in. It was Killer, his Killer, of course he came through, he always did. They both just needed time to let their anger calm, that was all. Kid was under no illusion that everything was smoothed over between them but at least he could take comfort in the fact that Killer was going to help him move the plan forward, “Okay. There’s… more details y’need t’know, but I want to talk about Yara first.”

“What about Yara,” Killer narrowed his eyes and spun around to face Kid, stalking over so he was closer to punching distance, “you’re not thinking of taking her with you, are you?” He knew that Kid preferred to have Yara with him at all times because he didn’t fully trust anyone else to take care of her the way he could. But he was absolutely insane if he thought Killer was just going to let him take Yara into the lion’s den.

The look Kid gave Killer that that question could have melted paint off a wall, “Are you fucking stupid?” Fuck, but Killer must have really thought he went off the deep end if he even felt the need to ask that question. Taking Yara to fucking Dressrosa would have been the move of a god damn madman and while he might be crazy, he wasn’t that brand of it, “No!” 

Killer flexed one finger at a time until his hands were no longer clenched into fists, rolling his shoulders back to try and relax, “...Good. You’ll have to excuse me for questioning your judgment since you’re going through with this bullshit in the first place.” Not really in the mood to argue about it anymore - at least not that part of it, anyway - Killer crossed his arms and moved to lean against the tree behind him, “What about Yara?”

At this point, Kid didn’t know which was going to be worse, telling Killer or telling Yara. At least he was halfway done and Yara was less likely to throw a punch, “I have to tell her. And she’s going to lose her mind. I need you as backup. On my side.” Kid knew that he was asking a lot; Killer had made it very clear that he was actively against this plan and here his captain was, asking him to at least pretend for the sake of the nine year old in their care.

“Absolutely not. I’ve never lied to her before, and I’m sure as hell not going to start now,” Killer replied immediately, almost before Kid was finished speaking. He wasn’t going to actively work to turn Yara against her brother, but he wasn’t going to try and act like he agreed that Kid was doing the right thing when he didn’t. 

His right hand clenching and releasing in turn, over and over, Kid did his best to keep his voice level, “I didn’t ask you t’fucking lie to her. But I need t’know you’re gonna try to help her feel better, not say shit about me, or how you’re pissed, and make it fucking worse.” It was beginning to irritate him all the more that Killer seemed to think he was just going to toss Yara to the side without trying to ensure that this went smoothly for her.

“Of course I’m going to make her feel better. The fuck you think I am?” Killer could pretend all he wanted that his anger was just that, but really he was nursing slowly growing feelings of abandonment. Kid was making these huge decisions without discussing them with him first; not that he needed permission from his First Mate, as the Captain, but it was something he always did regardless. But he seemed so caught up in this thing with Trafalgar that it was all being forgotten. 

And now he was so caught up in his righteous anger in response to Killer calling him out on his bullshit that he was acting like he didn’t even know who Killer was anymore. Of course he would do what he could to make this easier for Yara. Of course he wouldn’t talk shit about Kid; express his frustration and anger at the situation, yes, but like hell would he tear down his best friend to his kid sister. He thought Kid knew all that.

In Kid’s mind, there was one snapped phrase from the night before that summed up pretty clearly why he was feeling so distrustful of Killer at the moment. When he spoke, the words were terse but it was evident that there was hurt swimming just under the surface of the anger, “I think you called your captain a fucking traitor last night, sorry if that doesn’t inspire fucking confidence.” He’d made harebrained decisions before, gone off and done (sometimes stupid) things against Killer’s wishes, but never in his life had he heard that word hurled his way by the one man in the world who’s judgement mattered more than anyone else's.

“Don’t make this out to be my fault,” Killer warned, the feelings of abandonment leaking bitterness into his words. “You’re going to do what you want. Go do it. I’ll make sure everything stays together and running smoothly. Just like I always have,” at the end of the day, that was really his job; tending to the crew and their needs. Kid’s job was just to point them in the right direction but it had always fallen to Killer to see things through. This would be no different.

There were a million things Kid could say but even as they all whirled through his head it was clear none of them had merit. Continuing to fight would just waste what precious little time he had left with Yara. “Then come while I talk t’her,” it was a request more than it was an order, though seeing the difference between the two was likely hard right now.

Killer hesitated for a moment but didn’t say anything else. Pulling his shirt back on, he led the way back inside and found Yara exactly where he expected she might be; working through her second stack of pancakes. She grinned at him and he nodded back in acknowledgement; he’d let Kid take point on this.

Sweeping in behind Killer, Kid looked down to Yara and gave her the biggest smile he could manage, “Baby sis!” The energy in him, the nerves were starting to turn a little manic, and he only hoped he could get through this without having his heart completely ripped from his chest and trampled on the ground, “Come on, y’can eat the rest of those in your room. I wanna talk.” Scooping her up in one hand, Kid grabbed her plate with the other and headed back toward the sleeping nooks, hoping that Killer was following but too nervous to look back and find out.

“Kiiid! I’m not a baby!” Yara protested, squirming in his hold. “I had a bet with Hex I could eat three stacks of pancakes and I’ve still got one to go! He won’t give me my money if he doesn’t see me do it,” pouting, Yara moved to jab Kid in the ribs so she could try to escape. Before she could, though, Killer caught her hand and helped shift her into a more stable position. 

“I’ll vouch for you. Don’t worry,” he promised, taking the plate with the rest of Yara’s breakfast from Kid’s free hand so he wouldn’t drop it with all her squirming. Angry, hurt, betrayed… no matter what he was feeling, taking care of Yara would always take priority. He would just beat the shit out of her brother when she wouldn’t be around to witness the carnage.

Grateful for the assistance, the look Kid shot Killer said that clearly as much as he shifted her around to the front of his chest, holding her firm with the fingers of both hands laced together under her behind. This way she couldn’t get too much leverage to hit him again - if she leaned backwards it would get precarious very quickly. The rest of the trip back to the room was quick, Kid entering with a flourish to drop both of them onto the bed, going back first so she would up sitting on top of him, “Good pancakes?”

“Yeah, good pancakes. How come you think I wanna have three whole stacks?” Still pouting somewhat, Yara was pacified slightly when Killer handed over the plate they’d brought from the kitchen. Sliding down Kid’s side, she then sat on the edge of the bed to continue eating, “What do you wanna talk about?

It was always best to be direct and to the point - that was how Kid was in life in all situations and this would be no different. He also knew that Yara needed time to process - she needed time to work through her emotions before they could actually come to any kind of successful conversation and resolution. As she moved so did he, sitting upright and pulling her back against his chest so she was sheltered in his arms, one of them coming around to wrap across her torso as she ate. From there, as gently as he could, he laid the details out for her, “I’m gonna be gone for a while, Sprout. Law and I are going to fuck up one of the Warlords and we have t’go alone.”

Blinking, Yara swallowed down the bite of pancake she took before setting the plate on the little wooden table that served as a nightstand. Hopping off the bed, she spun around to face Kid, scrutinizing him, “...No you don’t. You never go by yourself. That’s the point of having a crew, dummy.”

God damn it. She was so persistent in her ways and so stubborn about what she wanted and of course this was going to be difficult right from the start, “But if I take you this time, it puts everyone in too much danger. We’re going to be secretive about it, get in close and stab him when he’s not expecting it. If we went with the whole crew, it would be too obvious.”

“Okaaay, so we wait in port while you go do your stabbing thing. Like always,” pausing, Yara leaned around her brother to look up at Killer. “Did you punch his brain out of his ears or something?” she accused, not sure why this particular mission of his was any different or more difficult than anything else they’d done.

Ignoring Killer’s pointed look - the one that made it clear he rather wished he’d done just that - Kid tried to refocus Yara on the task at hand, “This Warlord owns the entire island, he’s its king. He’d know if we docked there. But you’re going to Zou. That’s where Bepo’s from. You’re going to see a ton of other talking animals.” Hopefully that would be enough to give her some joy, something to look forward to, at least?

“So what? He’s still gonna know when you and Law dock there, too. And if it’s on the Grand Line, there are a bunch of pirates that go there all the time. That’s what happens on the Grand Line, you said so. And I don’t wanna go to Zou by myself, I want you to come with me,” what started off as an assumption that her brother was just messing with her was quickly starting to sink in as reality. Yara hadn’t been without Kid her whole life and the prospect of being separated for that long was terrifying. 

The way Kid’s heart clenched in his chest hurt worse than any punch Killer could have landed. He could see panic starting to settle in to Yara’s eyes, hear it in the way she spoke, and it was his fault it was happening. But even if he were to take Law out of the situation, going after DonQuixote made sense - he would never be King of the Pirates with that piece of shit Warlord looming over his back. He had to do this and he had to keep his crew safe in the process. “I know, kiddo,” the best he could do was continue to be gentle with her and let her feel whatever it was she needed to feel, “but I can’t go with you and you can’t come with me. I’m sorry.”

“That’s stupid! You’re stupid,” this time she yelled right back, reverting to childish insults because right now she couldn’t focus enough to act as grown up as she usually would, “we can so come with you, you’re our captain and we’re your crew! You can’t just leave us behind!” Feeling tears start to well, Yara stomped her foot, trying to will her body to respond in the way she wanted it to - which did not include crying, “Is Law your new favorite? Is that why you wanna go with him?”

“Yara, no…” but the words were almost impossible to get out, his throat closing at the accusation. He was not a man of tears but damn if he couldn’t feel them starting to prick at the corners of his eyes. Honestly, this was probably the worst thing he’d ever done to her and he was going to suffer for it. He reached out hesitantly, as though he wasn’t sure she’d let him touch her, “I’ll never love anybody more than I love you.”

“You’re a liar!” Slapping his hand away, Yara took a step back, “What about my birthday, huh? You promised we’d celebrate and it’s only six weeks away! You’re not gonna be back in time!” She couldn’t fathom why this new target of her brother’s was so important, so deadly; they’d always faced dangers as a group before. Even if she was sheltered and protected, they were always on the same island. Yara hadn’t gone more than a day without being able to see Kid; trying to imagine going months without him, and maybe never seeing him again if something went wrong was not something she was prepared to handle at this moment.

Honestly, there was nothing he could say to that. She was right, he had promised and now here he was, backing out of it. He barely managed to keep it together as he responded, “I’m sorry, Yara.” As the self-doubt started flitting around his head - Was he wrong about this, is going the right decision, is he being too hasty, are you hurting your family beyond repair? - Kid felt it swell up like a tsunami about to overwhelm him. 

But, like a portend, he found his anchor; the pulsing, demanding force in his chest that said if Law went alone, Law would die. He couldn’t just let that happen, no matter how bad it upset Yara and Killer. They’d always fixed things before, they’d fix them again when he got back. They had to. They would. Right?

“If this guy is so scary, then you can’t send us away! You’ll need back up!” Yara was certain that Kid wasn’t just abandoning everyone. She fully believed he would come back. The fear was mostly if he would be _able_ to. He and the rest of the crew had always fought as one before and it scared her to think her brother would be facing one of the Warlords all on his own. That, and she was finding she hated the idea of losing so much time to Law. 

Sighing softly Kid just shook his head, trying to explain as best he could between her outbursts, “We’re doin’ it different this time, Sprout. Undercover. Not like we usually do.” If there was ever a time that Kid hated himself in recent memory, this was the worst of it. The way her voice pitched and wavered, he knew he’d be hearing it in his head for a long time to come.

“That doesn’t make any sense!” her wavering voice raised, strengthened by anger. “We can all be undercover. We can go to the island on different ships! If I can come up with ideas to make it work, than you must be able to, too! You just don’t want us to come!” Right now, Yara was focused on holding back her tears. She fought so hard to be taken seriously by the crew, and bursting into sobs now would only make her seem like a little kid. 

Still, they were coming whether she wanted them to or not, so her only option in the moment was to leave. If no one saw her cry, then it wouldn’t matter. Before Kid could get another word out, Yara turned and bolted, carefully skirting around Killer in case he tried to scoop her up as she passed. 

Kid could see that she was on the verge of tears and was prepared to reach out and hold her until they passed, keep her safe in his arms just like he always did, but his hand grasped as useless air as she turned and ran. That was the last straw he could manage, too, as he blinked and then suddenly his vision was blurry and his face was wet and that didn’t make sense, except it did, and with sorrow clogging his throat all Kid could do was bury his face in his hands and press the heels of his palms against his eyes until it fucking stopped.

Killer watched the scene unfold impassively; he expected this to happen and knew that Yara would want space right now. As much as he felt for her situation, he was willing to give her time to work through it on her own. “When do you intend to leave?” he asked in the few moments of stillness that followed.

Why would he expect any pity from Killer in this moment? Now clearly wasn’t a time he would be feeling forgiving, of course. Forcefully wiping the tears off his face, Kid lifted his head and forced himself to find his voice, answering with as few words as possible, “... He wanted to go today, I’m gonna try to push for tomorrow.”

“You wanna tell me the rest of what I need to know? Since you’ve left me with no time to actually prepare for anything,” they’d been able to drop anchor and leave with less notice before, but not when they were so entrenched in once place. And not with a supply run needed on top of everything else.

“Yeah, uh, yeah…” being given a task was helpful, it gave Kid something else to focus on. Rising, he took one last moment to get himself under control and hide the signs of his tears before starting to answer Killer, knowing that his next statement might very well result in another punch to the face, “You’re taking Law’s crew with you.”

Killer was in planning mode right now. He didn’t have time to throw another punch, though if Kid had posed that to him yesterday, he definitely would have tried to beat the shit out of him. The Black Rose wasn’t a ferry service and it just meant there would be that many more supplies needed. But if Kid was going to prioritize Trafalgar, he might as well include his whole crew, “...Of course we are. So, a long trip where we’ll be packed in like fuckin’ sardines; sounds great. What else? I don’t have a whole lot of time to run to the mainland for everything we’ll need to be ready to leave by fucking tomorrow.”

No punches thrown, no physical altercation, hell… Kid would take that. But there was one thing he could offer to at least put Killer at some ease, “Law and I are leaving by tomorrow. You don’t have to that quick. It will take us weeks to get to Dressrosa.” It was a small, frail thing, but it was about all Kid had to give at this point.

Killer blinked and really wished Kid could see his expression because it said more than he’d be ever be able to in words, “...I’m not going to fuck around. If there’s something useful to be done on Zou, we’re going to leave as soon as we’re stocked. Finding the place is going to be a fucking nightmare, you get that right?”

Of course Kid got that, “Yeah, I know. Just saying, if you need another day…” This wasn’t the worst day of his life, those were definitely still relegated to his childhood, but it was probably the worst since they’d gotten their hands on the Rose. All he could do was hope that in the end, they both loved him enough to welcome him home with open arms. 

“Don’t worry, captain. Insubordinate bitch or not, I know how to manage a crew efficiently. If you’re putting me in charge of this, I don’t need your permission to wait another day if it’s what’s needed,” Killer replied, words still scathing. He wanted it to hurt; there was absolutely no reason for him to make this easy on Kid. It was his own doing, he could lie in the bed he’d made.

Normally it would have taken all Kid had to maintain himself with Killer spewing that much vitriol his way and his anger would have been howling in his veins, but after the conversation with Yara he was blown. He just nodded, turning to sink back down onto the edge of the bed. When he spoke this time his voice was level and flat, devoid of as much emotion as he could manage, “What status updates do y’want, any?” The last word may have come out far more accusatory than he’d wanted it to, but the sentiment was accurate. For all he knew, Killer wouldn’t want to hear from him unless the news was either that he was dead or triumphant. 

“Quit being a fucking drama queen, that suits Trafalgar way better than it suits you,” Killer spat, crossing his arms. Angry as he was, he still cared about Kid. He didn’t want him to get fucked up or die and of course he’d want to know how things were progressing. Just more proof that Kid had apparently forgotten his values, “I want whatever status updates you can get through without fucking up whatever hare-brained scheme you two have cooked up.”

At least he had that. Having needed the reassurance, Kid nodded a little and looked back up to his second, knowing that he had to own up before they parted ways, that he owed Killer this, “... I’m sorry. I know you’re pissed. I… get it. Why. I just…” Groaning, he scrubbed at his face again before running his fingers through his hair. It sounded so stupid to say it aloud, but it was true, “You go to Zou, you’ll be safe, you’ll get some shit done. I let him go alone, he’s gonna fucking die.”

By now, Killer had accepted that Trafalgar was going to be a part of his life. The fucker had a shitty attitude, but Killer didn’t hate him. He didn’t particularly _want_ him to die, either. But in the end, his own crew was still more important to him, “Here’s the thing, Kid. That’s his problem. It sounds shitty, but this has been his goal from the start. He didn’t have you around when he first made the decision to fuck up DonQuixote, so you can’t be that vital to it. This isn’t your fight.”

“... I know,” Kid had never claimed it was his fight, not really. He may have tried to make some half assed arguments the night before while they were fighting, but Kid knew that wasn’t why he was going. He might as well be honest about it now, “But…” Fuck. The words that came to mind were so fucking gag-worthy he could feel it in the back of his throat but they were true and they were, at the end of the day, why he was going, “I love him. If I let him go and he dies and I didn’t even try to fucking help… I dunno, Kill. I can’t do that.”

“You really think being there is gonna be any help? Is it worth you dying just so you can say ‘well, at least I helped’, right before he bites it too? It doesn’t make any sense. Meanwhile, we’re wasting time trying to find Zou and… what, hanging out with the Mink tribe? It’s a waste of our talent and resources and it’s insulting that you want us to do all this for the sake of love. You make all the sacrifices you want for it, Kid, seriously. Have at it. But the second you drag us into it, don’t be surprised when we all get pissed off at having to bend over backwards for someone we hardly know,” It was more than he intended to say, but at the end of it, Killer knew it was necessary.

For reasons he couldn’t name Kid was feeling helpless, adrift, like he’d been cast away from the only stability he’d ever known. He didn’t have a good option here, either he let down his crew or he let Law die and only one of those had any chance to being repaired. So when he spoke next it wasn’t for show, or to try an engender pity from Killer, or any ulterior motive. It was purely, simply to give the option and trust that Killer would take it, if necessary, “... If the crew decides to remove me as Captain I won’t fight, s’long as the title goes to you.” 

It was the last thing in the world he wanted, to lose his crew, his family, his life, but honestly if any one of them had needed to go off on their own for the same reason Kid was doing it, he’d have let them. He could only hope they’d be willing to give him the same courtesy and, even if anger bubbled up at the start, that they’d forgive in the long run. He knew he was prioritizing Law above them, but it was only for a while. He would always, always come back to his family. 

Killer’s hand shot out, landing a solid punch to Kid’s bicep before he pulled away and re-crossed his arms, “What did I just say about being a fucking drama queen?” He was still furious and probably always would be. The crew wasn’t likely to take it any better. But they were all loyal to Kid and there was no way they’d mutiny, not over this.

Another trickle of reassurance flowed through Kid’s veins and it was like the first gasp for air after being pulled from the sea, it was so desperately needed it hurt. He just nodded a little, meeting Killer’s eye holes for a moment before managing a tired half-smile, “Right. My bad.” Kid hated how small he felt, how much guilt wracked him, and though he’d asked himself numerous times if he should just pull back, give in and stay, no matter how much guilt piled on him, he could never change his answer to yes. Law would die without him. He couldn’t let that happen. 

“Better go smooth things over with Yara. I’ll get the crew gathered. You didn’t leave yourself with a whole lot of time, so don’t expect to leave on anyone’s good side,” With that, Killer stepped out of the room, starting his sweep of their cave system so he could round everyone up for the announcement.

Taking a deep breath Kid nodded, took a minute to get his head on straight, then rose to do as Killer had suggested. While telling the rest of the crew wouldn’t necessarily be fun, he knew he’d already handled the two most delicate, difficult conversations. The rest of them would grumble but they were loyal and as long as Killer didn’t encourage it, they wouldn’t argue. Hopefully Yara would forgive him enough that they could enjoy what little time they had left before he was gone for months.


	36. Home

“I can’t believe I agreed to let you come with me,” Law murmured as the Polar Tang dipped below the surface of the water, pointed in the direction of Dressrosa. He had planned on putting up another argument before they left, having felt revitalized after a night of rest, but that quickly changed after spending hours convincing his crew to follow his orders and head to Zou. Ikkaku, as promised, had helped as much as she could but she was vastly outnumbered. On top of that, Penguin and Shachi’s silence in regards to his plan made it clear to the rest of the crew that they disagreed as well, which did little to help change their minds. 

Knowing that the fact they were so against this plan came from their devotion to him did little to lessen the blow. It wasn’t the way he wanted to leave things with his crew. When it came, Kid’s request for an extra day was one he was happy to grant; it took most of the day just to field all their questions and try to mitigate the betrayal the Heart Pirates felt, and then Law wanted to take time with each of them individually where he could. In between all that, those who were most on board began the tedious process of preparing to transport their personal items and other supplies to the Black Rose. If he’d had a month, Law doubted he’d feel any different than he did now. There was never enough time.

For his part, Kid had spent the rest of the day following his conversation with Killer miserable, but trying to put on a brave face. Yara had spent most of the afternoon either screaming at him until she was red in the face or hiding and refusing to talk to him. When he moved on to review his decision with the rest of his crew they had chosen to basically stonewall him, staring in confusion or - in some cases - suspicion at the announcement. While none of them outwardly argued, their complete silence after the fact outlined just how shocked and displeased they clearly were. 

By the time that evening had arrived, Kid was mentally and emotionally wiped and getting closer and closer to thinking he should just give in and call everything off. Except he can’t, because the outcome of that could be worse. There were no good options, it seemed, and it weighed on him to the point of exhaustion. It was just when he was about ready to get up and go pace through the woods to pass the time that a little auburn head had poked through the doorway, still red with recent tears but clean otherwise. 

Yara deciding she wanted to spend the rest of the night with him had been sorely needed. Her presence, even though it was a little muted, was still given freely and he drank it in like a flower did the rain. He was quick to bend to her wishes, do whatever she asked - it wound up being one final nail painting session that took up most of the time, her work the most meticulous it had ever been, and ended with a firm admonishment to ensure their upkeep while he was gone. It was a promise he made easily. 

Late that night one other marvelous thing happened. Killer made his nightly rounds, as he always did, to say goodnight to Yara. He was unsurprised to find her in Kid’s room and though his words were short as he paused only to tell her to sleep well, he wasn’t outwardly hostile toward Kid. So when Kid asked him to stay, voice a little more tentative than he would have liked, and Killer paused only for a moment before heaving a sigh and walking the rest of the way into the room it was like someone had released a chokehold on his throat. He could breathe. Killer didn’t hate him badly enough to say no, at least. In the end, Kid understood that this was more than he could have asked for, getting to spend his last night before the journey to Dressrosa with them both. 

Shaking his head to clear it of melancholy thoughts, Kid looked back to Law with a grin, “I can. I get what I want.” Things were settled, the ships were parting ways, there was no sense in being miserable trapped in this tin can for however long it would take to get to their destination. He now had some uninterrupted time with Law before the game with DonQuixote had to begin and he was going to take full advantage of it. 

“At least one of us does,” Law murmured, staring out the large porthole at the front of the Polar Tang. The sea of chained limbs waved as they passed and Law couldn’t help but be grateful for some sort of friendly sendoff. His crew and Kid’s had lined the railing of the Black Rose to see them off prior to their leaving. It wasn’t unfriendly, necessarily, but there was an air of such melancholy and resentment mixed in with everything else that it had been hard to watch if he was being honest. 

Kid was able to sense Law’s unease but perhaps that was because he felt it himself more than any actual intuition. The pallor that had hung over everyone as they left sucked but there was nothing more he could do about it now. Maybe if his idiot boyfriend hadn’t decided springing the idea on him and then saying he had to leave the next day was an appropriate timeline, but that was neither here nor there at this point. “Hey,” waiting until he was certain he had Law’s attention, Kid sighed and opened his arms, “come here.”

Rather than turning to face him, Law kept looking out the porthole, stepping back until his back was against Kid’s chest. Reaching up, he tugged the redhead’s arms around his waist. “Big bad Supernova needs some comfort, huh?” Law asked, clearly meaning to tease Kid even though it was clear by the way his shoulders relaxed he was in need of the same comfort himself.

Kid really wasn’t one to sugarcoat, his own situation or others, so he just shrugged as his arms settled in around Law, pulling him in tight against his chest, “I broke my sister’s heart and my best friend called me a traitor… Yeah, I’ve had better days.” The only thing that made him feel like he could breathe at all was the fact that both of them had spent the night before with him; even if Killer’s part was played primarily through stony silence, his presence spoke volumes. 

Law just hummed noncommittally, gaze blurring as he stared into the middle distance and his mind started to spin through all the things he wished he’d done differently. There was nothing else he could do now, though, except return successfully. By that time, Penguin, Shachi, and Bepo would have forgiven him. They could be hot-headed, especially Penguin, but none of them were the type to hold a grudge. Unlike himself. 

“But…” trailing off for a minute, Kid challenged himself to make sure he meant what he was thinking before he said it aloud, “... they’ll be happy to see me come home.” Grunting a little, the redhead shook himself and turned his attention toward Law’s messy mop of hair, pressing his face into it, “... You ain’t any better a cook than me, are you? Food’s gonna suck this whole trip.”

Blinking himself back to full awareness, Law tilted his head back to look up at Kid. They were really in the same position, but the cruel part of him wanted to remind Kid that he’d put himself into this mess of his own accord. The words didn’t make it beyond a thought though; he really was learning restraint, wasn’t he? So he went with a relevant answer instead, “My rice balls are pretty good.”

Scoffing, Kid’s frown showed his displeasure even before he spoke, “Man can’t live off fuckin’ rice balls…” Scoffing like that was the most ridiculous thought ever, he cast his own gaze down to meet Law’s, eyes softening sightly as he looked over the man he inexplicably - perhaps irrationally - loved, “You’re gonna have to learn how to make steak.”

Reaching up, Law’s expression remained impassive as he flicked the end of Kid’s nose. “There’s meat in the rice balls,” he replied simply. Obviously they had different tastes in food; that might be a challenge considering Law hadn’t been thinking of Kid’s preferences in the hurry to make sure the Polar Tang was appropriately stocked. He’d simply gone with what he knew.

Kid wouldn’t argue that, it wasn’t the point, “Yeah sure. But they’re a snack. Not real food.” Even if the conversation was mundane, Kid felt something in his chest lighten just the tiniest bit for it - it was nice to have something so seemingly normal on his plate after the hellish last day and a half he’d survived. 

“You decided to follow me against everyone’s wishes. Consider this your punishment. Rice balls for weeks,” though Law’s tone was as deadpan as ever, there was a glint in his eyes as he met Kid’s gaze once more that made it clear he wasn’t actually serious. He still didn’t like that the redhead was accompanying him but he’d accepted it. Anything else would have been just another variable out of his control and there were already far too many of those.

Rolling his eyes, Kid poked Law in the stomach with a stiff, purposeful finger, “I’ll fish for my damn food and eat it raw, then.” He was fairly certain there was citrus somewhere on this ship, that was a usual thing crews carried, and he did have faint memories of the adults in his hometown squirting lime or lemon juice over fish to cook it without heat. How hard could that be?

“Don’t come crying to me when you get sick,” Law replied, breaking out of Kid’s hold to retreat from the open observation room they’d been standing inm “and also, I’ll be impressed to see how you fish from inside the Polar Tang.” Being down here right now was only increasing his sense of melancholy, in spite of the distraction Kid posed. It had never been this quiet on board, and he didn’t expect to miss his crew so soon. 

Frowning as though offended at the insinuation he was dense, Kid chased after the other captain with the intention of landing a solid smack to his ass to accentuate his words, “It surfaces, y’know!” At this point, Kid was going to do what he always did when he was sad - distract and deny until he managed to make himself feel better. 

As much as Law had enjoyed his time around Kid prior to this, now that it was limitless and uninterrupted, he found he wasn’t exactly sure what to do with it all. Not that it wasn’t enjoyable or had become tedious; they’d passed several hours in a comfortable silence that Law had learned to appreciate. However, given they were both occupied with troubles of their own in the days after departing, their moods were unpredictable and Law found himself arguing with Kid as often as not. 

Most of it was because Law still wasn’t sure he was prepared for this. He’d spent nearly thirteen years planning for his revenge and now that it was looming over him the enormity of the task had begun to weigh on him. Enough so that he wasn’t sleeping, despite Kid’s repeated attempts to calm his mind long enough to find rest. 

By the end of the second week of travel, Kid rather wanted to pull his hair out. They would be having a good day, at peace either sprawled out in bed cuddling or sharing quiet time together as they focused on occupying themselves with their individual tasks and then the next thing Kid knew they were fighting and most of the time, he couldn’t figure out why. 

It had made his mood mercurial, wavering between content and angry at, seemingly, a moment’s notice. But he didn’t enjoy these fights, they were pointless and exhausting and left him feeling even lonelier than he already did. The longest he’d ever gone without Killer or Yara at his side could be measured in days, certainly not weeks and absolutely not months. Their absence was clearly making him a little crazy; even the fact that he called every night to check in and tell Yara a story about his day while she drifted off to sleep wasn’t enough to soothe the ache. 

But when he hung up the transponder snail and looked back to the dark head curled up behind him and stubbornly refusing to sleep, Kid melted almost every time. He could tell this was hard on Law - the bags under his eyes were starting to deepen again, when they’d been growing lighter during their time on the island - and Kid knew he wasn’t sleeping. So it was that time again, the Polar Tang on autopilot as they settled in for the night, and Kid did as usual; sank his body down beside Law, pulled the smaller man against his chest, and buried his nose in his hair, “Y’need a story too? Something’s gotta get you to sleep.”

No matter what trivial argument they’d gotten into, Law always softened at hearing Kid’s conversation with his sister. It deepened the ache for his own lost family he was fighting to keep at bay as long as possible but something about the innocence of their conversation brought a sense of peace to him as well. It was a strange duality, one he wasn’t sure he’d ever get used to but it was better than their bickering, “I don’t think I’ll sleep until Doffy is in custody.”

“Well,” Kid sounded so sure of this next fact he was about to sprout, he basically sounded like a grown up, male Yara, “he’s never gonna wind up in custody with that attitude. Because you’ll be dead first.” Running a large, soothing palm up and down Law’s flank, Kid hummed to himself for a moment before settling on a topic, his voice breaking warm as he spoke, “Tell ya what. I’ve got some forbidden knowledge, an unknown story about Sora, Warrior of the Seas. I’ll share if you promise not t’tell.”

Laughing weakly, Law ducked his head. “I knew you’d use that against me somehow,” he teased. Whenever Kid was sweet on him like this, Law felt even worse about whatever they’d spent the day arguing about. He was still learning how to share his time with someone like Kid; with his crew, he still had a lot of privacy and spent much of his time alone. But it was important Kid knew his plans, so they spent as much time discussing strategy as they did anything else, and Law was absolutely unaccustomed to someone else having input in his carefully laid plans. Their evenings were always like this, though. Calm and warm.They figured it out somehow. 

Clicking his tongue, Kid shook his head. He was pressed close enough to Law that the movement could be felt in the way his nose trailed through Law’s hair, “Didn’t answer my question.” The teasing affection in his voice was clear, words warm as they laced through the air between them, “Not gonna tell you if y’don’t promise.”

“I promise not to tell a living soul,” Law replied solemnly. In spite of the way his mind was working overtime like a rat in a maze trying to solve the endless puzzle of how best to defeat his enemy, something about Kid’s presence quieted his restlessness. He felt his shoulders slowly relaxing, Kid’s warmth soaking into him.

For the next forty-five minutes or so, Kid regaled Law with the most outlandish, high strung, potentially drug addled version of Sora he could muster on the spot. Plenty of times throughout he had to pause and hide his own snort of laughter against the back of Law’s shoulder, but not even for one moment did he stop the soothing, repetitive motion of his hand across Law’s skin. He was hoping something in the combination would coax Law into a stupor, at the very least. 

The warmth and laughter that enveloped him was enough to do the job Kid intended. Law was lulled nearly to sleep by the time Kid was done, comfortable enough with the redhead’s proximity by now that Law pulled Kid’s arm around his waist tighter, leeching as much of his heat as he could. 

Kid let Law moved him as he wished, encouraging anything that made him feel safe. The redhead knew that Law’s mind was moving five thousand miles a minute and that if left to his own devices, he’d make himself sick before they even made it to the beginning of their fight. As the story finally wound to a close, Kid pressed the softest of kisses to the back of Law’s head, his own silent way of saying goodnight. 

It would be a lie to say that Law hadn’t slept at all since they’d left Litchpond, but he hadn’t managed anything meaningful. His lack of sleep was yet another culprit instigating his bad mood recently. Law wondered, distantly, why Kid was so successful in helping him sleep tonight when his first few attempts had little effect. He wasn’t awake enough to truly dissect the question, however; it was simply an errant thought that was gone as soon as it had arrived.

As they’d weathered these unexpectedly rough first few weeks together, Kid had alternated between asking himself if he was crazy, Law was crazy, or if it was just the fact that they were trapped in this tin can on the way to a make or break, life or death battle that had them both so up in arms with one another. But as they settled and Law finally fell into what seemed like a calm, restful sleep, Kid knew that the answer was the latter. They were made for each other, they just… fit. It was a little stress, that was all that was causing them to go at one another; the way Law melted into his arms and pulled Kid’s grip tighter around him was proof enough of that - he wouldn’t have done it a few months ago.

The soothing warmth that enveloped him like a cocoon set Law swiftly adrift into unconsciousness. His wandering mind was restless even if his body wasn’t. However; the previous weeks he hadn’t slept deeply enough to dream and Law just couldn’t seem to escape the torment of his own making whether he was awake or asleep.

Law found himself standing in the observation room of the Polar Tang. Judging by the blackness outside the porthole, they were deep underwater. Law stared into the abyssal nothingness for an indeterminate amount of time until it became clear they were starting to surface. He could make out the looming shape of a vast Sea King in the distance, growing smaller with each meter they ascended out of the depths. 

As the Polar Tang rose further, other sights filled his vision. A shark flitted past leaving a trail of blood in its wake from a kill. A swarm of piranha-like fish tore through a meal, stirring up a cloud of flesh and bone. The brighter the surroundings, the clearer Law could see that the marine life weren’t simply following the food chain; they were consuming human remains.

A half eaten arm bobbed into view, white fabric from the sleeve still attached. The limb thunked softly against the glass of the porthole, spinning in place until Law could see the tattoo on the forearm clearly; a tattoo he was familiar with. “Shachi…” he breathed, eyes widening as he reached out to touch the glass with his fingertips - as though he could reach the limb before it floated away. 

The ship was close enough to the surface now that he could see each fresh body part as it dropped below the waves, leaving ripples in their wakes. A boot fell next, still attached to the leg that was detached below the knee. Watercolor red bloomed from the torn flesh and Law couldn’t stand to watch this happen, not again. If these body parts were falling from above, someone was actively butchering his crew and leaving their pieces for him to find. He was no longer a helpless boy.

Sprinting for the stairs that would take him to the surface, Law found himself lost more than once, nearly slamming into sudden dead ends he couldn’t remember ever seeing before until the stairs materialized and he was finally able to surface. 

The stench of rotting meat hit him first and even with all his years of facing such a smell it was never a pleasant experience. Gagging, Law raised his arm to bury his face in the crook of his elbow, hoping it would help cull the scent. The culprit was easy enough to find now, standing at the bow. As Law considered the familiar profile, he dropped his arm in disbelief. “They’re dead weight,” his doppelganger commented without turning to face him, pushing Bepo’s torso off the railing from where it’d been propped up, “you don’t need them anymore.”

Kid had a reputation for being a pretty deep sleeper - he had to, when Yara flailed about in her sleep like a scythe and would likely have woken him every hour, on the hour if he wasn’t. But even still, he’d always seemed to have an innate sense for when she was just moving around or when something was actually wrong and for whatever reason, that skill seemed to apply to Law too. 

Eyes snapping open, Kid held still for a moment as he considered his surroundings and his vision sharpened and came into focus. No enemies, just Law, but he was restless, shifting in Kid’s hold and murmuring urgently, almost frantically to himself. It didn’t take Kid long to hazard a guess that he was having another one of those infamous nightmares. Well. Not on his watch.

Pushing himself upright, Kid considered his next move for just a moment before making it, stepping out of bed in case Law had a bad reaction upon waking up. That done he placed a gentle but firm hand on his shoulder, beginning to shake him as he spoke, “Law, wake up. It’s just all bullshit in your head, nothin’ real. Get up.”

The feeling of his mirror image grabbing him was so visceral and raw, the touch so hot it was like he was burning, Law threw himself backwards to escape and in doing so snapped himself awake. “No!” he shouted, scrambling away from the grip on his shoulder until he was too tangled in the sheets to move. 

Panting for air, his eyes darted wildly around the room until it came into focus. His desk, a second chair crowding the narrow space to make room for Kid. The redhead’s massive fur coat swayed with the movement of the Polar Tang off a hook near the door. Kikoku tucked neatly in the corner. And Kid himself, standing beside the bed, one arm still outstretched. 

Speaking low and careful, like he would a cornered animal, Kid kept himself calm; he knew Law needed that kind of energy from him right now, “See, just another shitty nightmare. That’s all. You’re good. Whatever you were dreamin’ about, it’s not happening.” Eyes soft, Kid waited for a response. His instinct was to crawl into bed and pull Law into his arms, soothe him with touch, but he knew that wasn’t always the right move when it came to the man in front of him, no matter how much Kid himself wanted to do it.

The raw emotion of having watched a duplicate of himself feeding his crew piece by piece into the ocean was never going to fade as quickly as he’d like. Law had always been fiercely private in vulnerable moments like this and his instinct was to flee. Gripping the sheets with white knuckled intensity, it took twice the usual amount of time to process Kid’s words.

Even though every muscle in his body was screaming at him to run, adrenaline still coursing through his veins like poison, behind the horrific imagery his mind had fed him Law could still remember the soothing warmth Kid had provided. How safe he felt in spite of everything. Though he still wasn’t relaxed by any means, Law nodded slowly and sank back down onto the mattress, willing himself to stillness.

That was an all together better reaction than Kid had expected and he took it willingly, nodding himself as he carefully sank onto the bed. While he was within arm’s reach he was careful not to crowd Law yet, unsure if it would be welcome. As he spoke, Kid held out a tentative hand, offering it to Law in case the answer was yes, “Come here?”

Considering his words for a moment, Law shook his head, still not quite sure he wanted to be so immobilized. His limbs felt twitchy, like currents of electricity were sizzling through his very marrow. Still, having Kid near was comforting. They’d spent enough time alone together that it was no longer foreign. Instead of ignoring his offer of physical contact entirely, Law instead reached for the redhead’s hand, twining their fingers together.

Watching Law move, Kid was immediately reminded of the stray dogs that had roamed Centurea. He’d always wanted a pet but was never allowed, so he’d made friends with as many strays as would have him. But there were times, when he was wandering about or sitting in an alley or doing his chores, that one of those friends would come up to him but sit just out of reach. 

He could still remember seeing the tremble in their limbs, feel the way it made his blood heat; more often than not they had a lump or a cut somewhere; Kid had patched a countless dogs with scraps from his shirt or, when it was too dirty for that, clean handfuls of hay. He always had to be careful, the animal was skittish when he first approached, but they always wound up letting him in. He was, perhaps, one of the only humans who didn’t take joy in hurting them. 

It hurt Kid, to think that Law had been hurt so badly he had the same reactions. But if holding his hand was what Law needed now, that and nothing more, Kid certainly wasn’t going to begrudge him. At least there were no physical wounds to tend to this time. And just like the dogs would eventually let him scratch behind their ears once they’d calmed down, Kid looked forward to running his free hand through Law’s hair to help soothe him even further. 

Law was never sure what to say to anyone who knew when he’d had a nightmare. Did he apologize for disrupting their sleep? Stay silent and pretend nothing happened? It was another reason he tended to avoid contact after such an episode. He didn’t speak until the feeling of adrenaline wore off, leaving cold chills in their wake, “...How bad was it…?” 

The way Law was looking at him, like he was afraid he might have broken something, resonated with Kid in a way that presented as a desperate need to get that look off his face no matter the cause. Cracking a smile Kid just chuckled and shook his head, squeezing Law’s hand in his as he spoke, “Two out of ten. No thrashing or swearing. Not even a solid whimper.”

With a deep sigh, Law nodded, body relaxing incrementally. At least he hadn’t made a fool of himself in front of Kid. Knowing what he did, Law very much doubted the other man would have truly thought less of him for his nightmares but it was still embarrassing, that he was so affected by something intangible, “Did I wake you?”

So Kid’s answer was coming from a technicality - it was his sense of intuition that woke him, more than anything - but he didn’t care. Shaking his head he stroked his thumb over Law’s, watching their hands with soft affection in his eyes, “An’ even if you did, wouldn’t be a big deal. Yara likes t’kick me in her sleep sometimes.”

Not for the first time, Law was struck by how kind Kid was. He was a man more known for cruelty and carnage than Law himself and yet here he was, treating him so gently. He wanted to be annoyed; what had he done to earn such treatment, anyway? But really, it was nice to have someone who didn’t fear him, an equal he didn’t have to pretend to be strong around when he wasn’t feeling particularly capable, “...Come closer.”

Kid was more than willing to obey that order; it was what he’d wanted from the beginning after all. But even still he paced himself, sliding into Law’s personal space until they were pressed side to side, but he didn’t yet wrap an arm around the other man or pull him in close. All of Law’s limbs were still free to move as they wished and Kid was sure to keep it that way until he was told he could do otherwise. 

It was much easier to get used to Kid’s proximity now that he’d calmed down somewhat. Law had never really felt in danger around Kid, nor did he feel the need to protect him from his own weaknesses as he had with his crew. Their relationships were fundamentally different, or at least that’s what he told himself in his search to find an answer to why he was able to relax so easily in his presence. After only a minute or two, Law moved closer, resting his head on Kid’s shoulder, “...How did you escape your nightmares?”

At that Kid snorted, shaking his head a little as he kissed the top of Law’s. The answer was simple and he stated it as such, “Killed them.” He was used to it by now, being called a murderer for what he’d done to his parents, but he disagreed; you couldn’t murder something that wasn’t truly human, could you? If anything, it was a mercy killing - mercy for himself and his sisters. 

“Heh,” it was such an effective solution but for Law to kill his demons he’d have to take down the escaped leaders of Flevance - assuming they had lived - as well as the top brass of the military and anyone else who had a hand in destroying his home. Not only that, but it meant killing Doflamingo, too; and even if it haunted him, Law had resolved to try and apprehend him alive as Cora-san would have wanted, “And you’ve never had any since?”

At that Kid nodded his agreement, knowing that things weren’t so easy for Law. Once his parents were out of the picture, he’d had more pressing things to deal with, “Feedin’ Yara and teaching her how t’use the toilet took up most a’my time right after. Then it was always somethin’ else new with her. She kept me too busy to think, much less dream.”

Humming, Law considered that. Of course he couldn’t escape those dreams. His hobbies had been revenge and murder from the very start. Death and decay had never left his thoughts, so how could he ever have been expected to escape it in his subconscious? If only, “Right. I guess it was foolish to expect there to be an easy answer.”

Kid could feel the despair filling Law and it made him ache for a way to fix it. But there wasn’t one, at least not in the short term. They clearly needed to handle DonQuixote first. There was a question that Kid had been wondering for some months now, but it had never seemed like the right time to ask. Until now, “... Are they always about that fucking flamingo?”

Considering the answer to that question brought the image of his crew cut to pieces on the deck of the ship they’d called home for so many years. Suppressing a shudder, Law shook his head, mouth set into a thin line, “No. They’re usually not about him, at least not primarily.” For as focused as he was on Doflamingo, he was not often the subject of his nightmares.

“Oh,” sounding a little surprised, Kid swiveled his head down to better look at Law - not that it was a much clearer view, just the side of his face now, “Guess I just figured…” Of course, the next obvious question was to ask what panicked, fevered thoughts ran through Law to generate the demons that haunted him at night but that hardly seemed like an appropriate thing to do right now.

Law figured he could answer that unspoken question, at least vaguely, “I usually dream about people I care about dying in front of me. Sometimes by my own hands.” He felt foolish, being so affected by that kind of thing, especially considering he’d lived through worse and had seen worse in reality. There was more to the nightmares, of course, but Kid could ask if he wanted to know more.

Oddly enough, hearing that caused a strange trickle of peace to run through Kid. Obviously Law had people he valued in one way or another, at the very least for the skill they brought to his crew, but to hear him admit that the terrors that caused him to thrash in the night, to run and hide, to break Kid’s heart once or twice… That was a different level of value, that was a declaration true and honest of something Kid hadn’t always been entirely sure of with Law, “... S’what happens when y’love people, I guess.”

“Yes, I know. That’s why I’ve tried to avoid that particular feeling,” Law replied, glaring up at Kid as though he was to blame for the fact that Law failed to stop himself from developing feelings for him, or anyone else for that matter. “I told you once, didn’t I? That everyone I’ve ever loved has died. I wasn’t being hyperbolic.”

Matching Law’s glare with a stern, no nonsense gaze of his own, Kid just cracked a soft smile after a second and shook his head, “I’m still here.” Things were as simple as that, weren’t they? Everyone was here until they weren’t. What was the point in panicking about a thing that was absolutely going to happen someday? The only thing to do was fight like hell to make sure that someday was far, far into the future. 

“... For now,” Law could tell that Kid wasn’t on the same page as he was when it came to losing people he cared about. It didn’t haunt him the way it haunted Law. Probably due to the nature of Kid’s own demons and the fact that his only loss had been his choice, done at his own hands. Looking away from Kid’s gaze, Law frowned, feeling more foolish than he had before.

Seeing the expression that darkened Law’s gaze further, Kid frowned, suddenly worried he’d said something wrong. It hadn’t been his intent to belittle, but rather reassure. But he’d been described as a brute before and there was some truth to that, though in this case it wasn’t intentional. Studying the side of his companion’s tousled head, Kid worried at his bottom lip for a second before asking - or rather, dancing around - the one question that might actually shed some light on this whole thing, “... Does it have somethin’ t’do with where you grew up?”

Shifting uncomfortably, Law recognized that Kid was once again poking at the question he’d promised to answer. Kid wasn’t known for his tact but Law hoped he wouldn’t ask about it like this, not directly. “It has something to do with things that happened to me as a child,” Law replied quietly. He didn’t want to give Kid any more clues than he already had.

Sighing a little Kid just nodded, letting his head fall back against the wall. Not quite in defeat, but perhaps close to it, “An’ I’d be an ass if I asked now, huh?” For the first time, the urge to call in his rights on Law’s promise was burning under his skin, like a thing alive, like it was trying to tell him everything would make sense if he could just get answers. 

For some reason he couldn’t explain, keeping his promise to Kid was important to him. He didn’t get to dictate when and how Kid asked, “...it’s not like there’s ever an easy time, Kid. You can ask whenever you want to.” At least his dream hadn’t been about the White City. That would likely have changed his reaction to the topic.

Weighing his options, Kid struggled with the decision, going back and forth on whether or not to ask. He wanted to, more than anything, felt like it would fill in an important gap, but it also felt like kicking Law while he was down. On the other hand, it was something so clearly painful that Kid never wanted to bring it up when they were happy; why ruin the mood? He had some false starts then, the occasional half word or grunt escaping him as he tried to find the “right” way to ask before just giving in and doing it his way, “... I’m askin’ now.”

Closing his eyes, Law breathed out until his lungs were empty before nodding slowly. “It’s a long story,” Law began, knowing that since Kid had no real knowledge of the history of Flevance and why everything that happened happened, he’d have to start at the beginning, “neither of us are likely to get any sleep tonight if I start now. That good with you?”

The air of tense anticipation that had just fallen over the room was tangible. Kid nodded, finding his mouth suddenly a little dry. But Law was strong, Law could get through this, and Law wouldn’t have allowed him the power to ask the question if he didn’t want him to have it. Right? Lifting one arm, Kid wrapped it around Law’s shoulders just enough to hold him close but not enough to restrict him. 

Though he hadn’t given much in the way of details when he’d originally brought up Flevance, Kid did know it’d been destroyed by war and he didn’t want to tell the story out of order, “The place where I was born was sometimes referred to as the White City. Much of the architecture was created by utilizing a natural resource my home was known for. Have you heard of Amber Lead?” 

While Kid’s gut reaction was to say no, he paused for a moment before spitting out his answer. While he couldn’t pinpoint when or why, for some reason the term seemed familiar, so he said as much, “... Maybe?” Shrugging a little he tilted his head down against Law’s, seeking further connection that way as he waited for Law to continue. 

Without really pausing to consider Kid’s response, Law continued, “It was known for its brilliant white color. It was a huge export in the North Blue, used for jewelry, building materials, all manner of things. The White City was… really a sight to see.” Of all the things he missed, Law rarely thought of the beauty of his home, but it came back to him now. The gleaming streets and buildings, like nothing he’d ever seen anywhere else. 

“So…” parsing through what Law had said, Kid clarified just to make sure he was understanding things correctly, “it was like an ore or something? You lived in a mining town? A pretty one?” He wasn’t trying to dumb down the conversation or make light at all; Kid just happened to learn best when he talked through things. 

Law was surprised to find that Kid’s questions were helpful. He hadn’t ever experienced an interaction with someone who didn’t know about Amber Lead, who didn’t outright recoil from him upon learning where he’d been born. It was… refreshing and it helped give him the stamina to go on, “Essentially, yes. My family was well off; my father was the most famous doctor in the country and my mother was a nurse. I never saw much of the actual mine; we lived in the city center.”

“Oh. Okay,” nodding a little, Kid cracked a bit of a grin that showed through in his tone as he spoke, “so you were the rich kid everybody like me hated.” They’d always gone with humor before, why should now be any different? Besides, if pressed to explain, the reason for that hatred was easy enough to understand - rich meant comfortable. Poor did not. 

“Probably,” Law replied, reflecting on his youth, “though I wouldn’t say we were rich. Just comfortable. And my parents were selfless people; they took care of their community and taught my sister and I to do the same.” When it was in a positive light, speaking about his family wasn’t too difficult. However, Law knew that it would also make things twice as hard once he began explaining their deaths.

The snort that got from Kid was loud, his words matching the sentiment precisely, “Somethin’ changed.” But even as he spoke he was rapt, his entire focus wrapped around Law’s words, movements, breath, every little indistinct thing he did Kid was aware of. He knew this was the hardest thing he could have asked of Law and he was trying to be hypervigilant in case things started to go very wrong. 

“I was never… sociable. Even as a kid. I did have friends, though…” Trailing off, Law closed his eyes and could still remember some of their faces, though they were vague, “Anyway. Thanks to the export of Amber Lead, the White City was prosperous for decades. Until a mysterious illness started showing up that we’d never seen or heard of before, cleverly called Amber Lead Disease.”

Blinking a little, Kid considered that new piece of information, “Well... fuck. Doubt that’s good.” Whatever this disease was, at least Law had survived it. But if that’s what took his family from him, he could see how that would be painful to talk about. Being the only survivor of something was known to cause guilt, even if it wasn’t the survivor’s fault. 

“No. It wasn’t,” Law was still young when the first cases popped up, but they were what held his father’s attention as the foremost doctor in the country. He knew about those first victims by proxy, even if it wasn’t his own memory of when they’d first discovered the disease, “The symptoms start off like a cold and then progress to debilitating fever and incredible pain. White patches eventually spread over the victim’s body until their internal organs fail and they die.”

“Shit,” the curse word came vehement, accentuated in the otherwise small, quiet space, “that’s a bad way t’go.” As had become his habit when Law shared hard things, Kid commented enough to show he was paying full attention but otherwise stayed quiet as possible to avoid interrupting Law’s flow or thought process. 

“It presented in the elderly at first. And then my father’s generation. And then…” Law remembered Lamy’s sudden illness, the patch of white blooming on her arm. She had been so young. She should have had more time than he did, “More and more cases as each day went on. Enough that our borders were closed for fear that the disease would spread.”

Lifting a hand to Law’s hair, Kid started carding his hand through it. By now he couldn’t honestly tell if he did this because it calmed Law or because it calmed him. Wherever this story was going it wasn’t good and he was suddenly afraid of learning the true impact it had on Law. What if he doesn’t know what to do with the information once he has it? What if he says something wrong and fucks things up?

“I don’t remember all the details myself. We were sheltered from some of it while my father worked to find a cure he was convinced existed. But I’ve read some classified documents since then, so I know what happened. The people in the White City were terrified and being barred from leaving only made the fear spread. Panic set in, and those who were unafflicted began to flee the spread of the disease,” Law grit his teeth; even the people in Flevance who were suffering the most hadn’t known the truth of their illness. The World Government’s propaganda had always been brutally effective.

“War broke out. Those who fled were shot crossing the border, their bodies treated like hazardous waste. But the truth was that this particular illness was genetic. Because the White City and almost everything in it was treated with Amber Lead, everyone in the country was affected by its toxin. It steadily shortened the lifespan of each generation. We didn’t know about it at first because the first few generations died of natural causes before the disease could set in. But by the time my generation was born, our lifespan had been reduced to eleven to thirteen years.” 

Blinking against the sudden, rapid onslaught of information, Kid was quiet for a moment as he pieced through it all and compartmentalized the pieces. At this point, while there were a million things he could say and a thousand questions he could ask, there was one that seemed the most important, “... Who shot them?” While he was sure he knew the answer, he just wanted confirmation.

“The citizens of the neighboring countries shot them at first. Then the military got involved. I told you it was a long story,” up until now, Law had been able to recite what he knew as though reading from a history book. It was all relatively impersonal, just facts. But the rest of the story was nothing like that, the truth imprinted on his memory as clearly as the white marks had settled on his skin, “The war got worse, but I didn’t pay attention to it. We were far away from the border. And in spite of being three years younger than me, Lamy was the first in our family to succumb to the disease.”

Law could remember when his poor sleep habits started; he would wake up what seemed like once an hour throughout the night to check on his sister, to make sure she was still breathing. His parents, too, seemed to be riddled with insomnia; he heard them talking well into the darkness, trying to find a cure, lamenting their daughter’s sudden illness and the damnation from the outside world that condemned them to die imprisoned in the very country that made them so ill to begin with. He remembered hearing his father break down into tears, desperate to understand why Lamy had to suffer when neither he nor his mother had yet to display any symptoms themselves. 

“Eventually, things reached a boiling point. The World Government determined that the White City needed to be eradicated, less so because of the disease and more to cover their tracks. They had worked with the leaders of the country and both sides made an incredible profit off of Amber Lead in spite of the fact that they all knew it was toxic. With news of the illness spreading across the North Blue and my father working tirelessly on a cure, they couldn’t let the truth slip out. So they sent in the Marines to exterminate each and every citizen as though they were hunting rats.”

Lifting a hand to his own head, Kid ran his fingers through his hair and gripped tight at the back of it, yet again taking the necessary time to process. There was so much to unwrap in those words, but one thing stood out starkly amongst the rest, “... Genocide.” He had heard the part about Law’s own little sister but he wasn’t ready to unpack that yet, not when it resonated more clearly with him than any other part of the story. They’d have to talk about it, he knew, but he was still trying to hold his own questions, “... And either that or the sickness took Lamy.”

“...I heard gunshots outside the hospital, so I hid Lamy in a closet in her room and went to find my parents, but I was too late. Their blood was still spreading across the floor when I found them. I was screaming so loud it drew the soldiers back to the room. I had to jump out the window to escape. I circled back to get Lamy, but the hospital was an inferno by then,” When Law had been matter-of-fact before, he was completely detached now. As though his consciousness were completely gone and his brain was relaying these memories on auto-pilot, “She died alone. Stuffed in the closet where I put her.”

Kid could try to change Law’s thought process, remind him that he put her there to save her, not for her to die, but he would have thought the same as Law had it been Yara in that situation instead. He wasn’t going to argue with a demon that couldn’t be beaten. So he did what he could do, which was shift until Law was against his chest instead of his side, and wrap his arms tightly around Law’s front until they crisscrossed at his waist. He couldn’t fix things, but he could hold Law, so that’s what he did.

Instead of finding the confinement unbearable, Law… relaxed. Kid was warm and real and alive; nothing like his current memories. A reminder that not everyone he loved was dead, “...I played dead a few times whenever I heard soldiers coming. I must have been convincing because they threw me in a transport with a bunch of other bodies. I still don’t know why they didn’t just leave the dead or what they did with the corpses.” Shifting, Law looked up to meet Kid’s gaze, expression faraway, “Can you guess the real name of the White City?”

It took an absolute force of will to stop himself from shuddering at the look in Law’s eyes, but force himself to stillness Kid did. The last thing Law needed right now was to think that he had disgusted or unsettled Kid, not when Law needed him to be a strong, steady presence as he walked through his history bloody step by bloody step. For all that he’d been giving his undivided attention, the last question threw Kid off, made him feel like he’d missed something when he realized he didn’t even have a guess. After a minute, he mutely shook his head, wondering what it was he’d overlooked in the telling.

“I collect coins. I told you once. I told you my favorite one was from Flevance, a country destroyed by war,” Law’s Room lit up the space around them and moments later he held a coin in his hand, roughly an inch in diameter. Imprinted in the metal was a cityscape in glistening white. “This was my home,” he pressed the coin into Kid’s palm so he could see the image stamped there.

Opening his palm to accept Law’s insistent push, Kid nonetheless kept his arms wound tight around Law’s middle and studied the coin over the smaller man’s shoulder. He was pensive as he flipped it over in his fingers, his eyes taking in each detail and etching on both faces of the currency, his brow furrowing as he thought through everything there was to say and tried to settle on what made the most sense now, “... So you didn’t get it from a soldier. It was yours.” For the first time he was brave enough to hazard a guess, but he was blindingly certain he was right, “... It’s all you have left from your home.”

Nodding, Law relaxed until his face was half buried in Kid’s side. He felt that same jittery feeling from before building inside him, surging just below the surface, “Yes. And you know the rest. From there, I went to Spider Miles.” He couldn’t focus enough to make the ending of the story as compelling as the beginning; Kid could figure out the rest on his own. 

The buzzing feeling he’d had at the beginning of this whole story, that he had to ask, that it would make things make sense… it was a sharp sense of understanding that diffused through him at Law’s final words. The Cora-san Law talked about hadn’t just saved him from an incurable disease, he’d cured him of the sickness that turned the home he grew up in into the graveyard of his childhood. 

“No wonder you have fuckin’ nightmares,” when all else failed, Kid relied on being his rather blunt self. Allowing Law to settle himself against his frame however he wished, Kid waited until he seemed to be finished before he tightened his grip, wanting to ensure that Law knew he was safe and loved here, “On top of all of that, DonQuiAsshole took away the person who helped save you after it all. I’m… shit, Law, I’m sorry. That sucks.”

“...That is one way of putting it,” Law replied, flexing his fingers and curling them into fists to try and will away the effects of the adrenaline in his veins. This was the second time he’d had this conversation, and while it wasn’t really any easier than the first time, it wasn’t any harder, either. It helped that Kid hadn’t recoiled from him upon learning his origins. 

Shrugging a little, Kid pressed a series of soft kisses along Law’s hair, snuffling a bit at one point when the black locks tickled the underside of his nose. He wasn’t going to lament how awful it was, they both knew that was true without saying it and he wasn’t usually one for throwing pity parties. He also knew Law didn’t want that, anyway. “Yeah,” he countered then, pausing for just long enough to tilt Law’s head up toward his, so he could finally meet his eyes, “but you’re still here. And you got me.”

“... Heh,” blinking a few times like he was coming out of a fog, Law’s expression flared to life once more, a grin splitting his face, “you always manage to simplify things so easily, don’t you?” In the end, nothing was really that simple. But it was a different perspective, at the very least. The last thing he needed was to keep wallowing in his own misery.

That made Kid laugh, the answer to that coming seamlessly, “I’m a simple guy.” Seeing Law grin was a relief, hopefully a sign that he wasn’t going to dissolve back into the darkness of his past. Law’s history only served as a reminder to Kid that, to be honest, he really didn’t need. It was proof Law was strong, no more, no less. 

Law could feel the muscles in his legs bunch, shuddering as though he was cold. Adrenaline outside of a battle was a pain to deal with. It made him jittery and anxious until it ran its course. It wasn’t an uncommon reaction to a dream like the one he’d just had or to that kind of discussion, but now that he was feeling the effects and Kid was here, he wouldn’t be able to hide it for long, “...Hey, Kid. Since we’re both awake, why don’t we take advantage of it? Let’s fight in the observation room. We’ll have to be careful not to damage the integrity of the ship; that should make for an interesting challenge.”

The look that came across Kid’s face as he looked down at Law was equal parts raised eyebrow and kind eyes. Shaking his head, Kid slid one hand down until it was resting over Law’s calf - he could feel the tension just through simple touch, “You need a distraction.” It was a statement, not a question, and Kid followed it up by shifting their positions. He was firm but careful as he laid Law on his back, silencing any disagreement with a kiss.

That was true, it was a distraction Law was after. Something physical, to quell the shaking in his limbs. If he could sate his fight or flight response, the adrenaline would wear off and he’d at least be able to rest since Law was certain sleep wouldn’t find him again tonight. Fighting was an option he was certain Kid would be most interested in, but as an alternative this could work. He returned the kiss slowly, still a bit sluggish as his mind filtered through his scattered thoughts.

Lightly pinning Law with his body weight, Kid eased him into things with slow, languid, sweet kisses to ensure that this was something Law actually wanted and could handle right now. If a fight was what he truly needed Kid would give him a fight, but he had a feeling that in the end this would be a better solution. 

As Law slowly relaxed under his ministrations, Kid slid his hands down the smaller man’s flanks and found the waistband of his boxers. While he wasn’t rushing things Kid didn’t really take much time to tease or titillate, either. His goal here was to calm Law, first and foremost. Dipping his fingers below the hem, Kid caught Law’s bottom lip between his teeth at the same time he slid the cloth over Law’s slim hips. Regardless of anything else, Law was a beautiful human to behold.

Theoretically, any sort of physical exertion would be enough to soothe the rush of adrenaline, so that wasn’t really the problem. The problem was that Law was having difficulty enjoying this with visions of death stamped on the backs of his eyelids. Grimacing, Law pulled away, turning his head to the side. His nightmares would even ruin this, it seemed, “... Sorry…”

While Kid was a little startled at the response, to be honest, he didn’t find an apology necessary. What he’d been doing was for Law’s sake anyway and if it was only going to make things worse that was entirely counterproductive. Shaking his head he returned his attention to Law’s face, pressing a soft kiss to his exposed cheek, “Don’t be. You still wanna fight?”

“Yes. … No,” groaning, Law covered his face with his hands, frustrated by his body’s overreaction, “I just need to _do_ something.” If he was being honest, Law had no idea what he could do. He’d never had anyone to help him through this before and he usually just curled up in bed and tried to ignore the shaking of his limbs until it passed. It was an uncomfortable experience and not one he wanted Kid to be witness to.

Kid was nothing if not solution focused most of the time and now was no different than usual. “Fine,” scooting out of bed, Kid sank down into a pushup position with practiced ease, looking up at the bed with a grin on his face, “get down here, scrawny. See if you can keep up.” This was a game he and Killer had often played on long nights after Yara had fallen to sleep and they were hungry, bored, and scared. It was something to do for entertainment, to keep their minds off the reality of their situation, and it worked. No reason to think it wouldn’t now.

Picking his head up to watch Kid’s movement, Law crawled forward to peek over the edge of the mattress to see what Kid was even doing on the floor. Once he realized what he was in for, Law clicked his tongue. “Of course you’d pick something you know you’d win at,” he complained, fishing around in the sheets for his discarded boxers and pulling them back on before joining Kid on the floor, “Maybe I should just sit on your back and see how many you can manage then.”

Laughing, Kid shook his head as he gestured for Law to get into position, “Only after you’re so wiped you can’t hold yourself up. Then y’can count for me from up there.” Winning wasn’t the point, tiring Law out was, and what better way to do it than this? It wasn’t as charged as sex or a fight, was something that shouldn’t spark any bad feelings in him, and would absolutely be successful in its end goal if Law played along.

Law considered Kid for a few moments before he pushed himself up into position. “On one condition,” he began, another slow grin curling across his face, “you have to do yours one-handed.” If he was going to do this, he was damn well going to enjoy the view. Law had never considered himself attracted to one type in particular, but he had found a certain appreciation for Kid’s musculature and this was the perfect way to enjoy it.

The answering laugh that got filled the room, the sound warm and rich and clearly relaying agreement without a single word. Pulling his right hand off the floor and bending it across his lower back, Kid met Law’s eyes with a grin, “On your count.” The number of times Yara had demanded he stay in this very position was too high to count - when he was being too fidgety and she wanted to do his nails this was the perfect way to ensure he’d keep his bottom hand still. 

Without counting, Law dipped down for a headstart he knew wouldn’t do him any good. “Go,” he replied, pushing himself back down once more. It felt strange, at first, doing pushups on his bedroom floor for no reason other than to move. But it had the intended effect. Moving his body like this, focusing on counting, on the muscles in his arms, on keeping the proper posture, it all worked together to push the adrenaline through him and with it the horrors he’d shared.

Kid kept up easily, occasionally throwing in a flourish like bringing his other hand down only to push up high enough to clap before catching himself as he was instructed, with only one limb doing any work. Perhaps it was showing off, but it was just more distraction, more antics for Law to focus on instead of the dark thoughts swirling around in his brain. And besides, so what if it was showing off? Kid had things to show.

Law impressed himself with how many pushups he was able to complete before his shaking arms collapsed under him. Sweat had beaded up along his shoulder blades; it made the room cold as he worked to catch his breath. “I’m getting back in bed, but feel free to keep going,” Law drawled as he pushed himself to his feet before returning to the warmth of his bed. 

“Changed your mind about the ride?” the tease in his tone was apparent, a smile on Kid’s face as he watched Law pick himself up off the floor with what looked like a rather substantial amount of effort; Kid liked the proof his methods had worked. Once he was clear that Law was serious about the bed part of things, Kid pushed himself up and wiped the few beads of sweat from his forehead before following after, wanting to ensure that Law stayed surrounded by warmth as they both tried to drift off to sleep again. 

“Mmh. The pushup ride, yeah. But I can think of another ride that sounds appealing,” Law was aware he was not at all being clever, but his addled mind was too exhausted to think of anything better than that. It had quickly become apparent that having someone to help him through these troublesome periods was infinitely preferable to suffering through them alone. 

It was so blatant that Kid couldn’t even bring himself to consider it innuendo. With a rueful, affectionate smile he slid between the sheets behind Law, resuming the position they’d started the night in; Law tucked against his chest, his arm around that slender waist, “Tell you what, you still awake and up for it in thirty minutes, s’all yours.”

“... Is this your way of trying to seduce me into sleeping the rest of the night?” Law asked suspiciously, settling in comfortably at Kid’s side. He was coming to see Kid’s presence as less of a barrier keeping him enclosed beneath the sheets and more a shield between himself and anything tangible - or otherwise - that might come to cause him pain. Law had found safety in Kid’s arms rather than confinement. For that reason alone, Law knew he’d be able to find rest once more, even after everything he’d shared tonight. 

A dry, amused huff of a laugh escaped him at that, “I’ll do anythin’ that works.” That said Kid settled in, making sure the sheets were arranged around them both and pillows were tucked comfortably under their heads before daring to settle himself, hoping his own relaxed state would continue to calm Law. 

For now, the only thing that was certain was that they had time. They wouldn’t reach Dressrosa for a few more weeks and Law knew he’d reached the limit of his planning. He couldn’t possibly come up with anything more solid until he got there and saw for himself what Doflamingo was after, how he’d react, what he’d have access to. That left spending time with Kid as his only real option for killing time. Perhaps that was the reason he didn’t try to fight sleep when it came for him fifteen minutes later; there would always be tomorrow. For now, he could rest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi loves, we just wanted to make sure you knew that chapter 37 will be delayed by a week, we have friends coming in from out of town next weekend. Thank you all for bearing with us throughout this busy summer!


End file.
